


Gray Area

by dancinbelle



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Asexual Adrien Agreste, Asexual Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Coming Out, F/M, I am asexual so they are too, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug has ADHD, Oblivious Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Pansexual Alya Césaire, Pride, Skydiving, Slow Build, Tumblr: miraculace, Work In Progress, anonymous correspondence, discussion of eating disorders, escape room, extra secret identities, miraculace, mlpridefest2020, self discovery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:48:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 64
Words: 100,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24533308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancinbelle/pseuds/dancinbelle
Summary: A schoolwide program partners students up anonymously as they research and discuss topics like gender identity and sexuality. The hope is that students who are confident in their own identities and more understanding of others will reduce akumas. What's a few extra secrets to Paris's resident heroes?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe
Comments: 1237
Kudos: 630
Collections: Miraculace





	1. Phone A Friend

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Pride 2020! I have been bouncing ideas around for this fic for a year now, so we're going to see what comes together for this wild ride.

Marinette took a deep breath and tried not to scream her frustrations out like a steaming tea kettle. She had learned the hard way that screaming wordlessly in class was not encouraged.

“After all,” Lila was saying to the class, “true bravery means taking risks and doing what other people just aren’t strong enough to do.”

The rest of the classes murmured in agreement. 

“True bravery isn’t always flashy or showy, Lila,” Adrien responded quietly. When everyone turned to look at him, his eyes went wide. He suddenly looked like he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

Marinette squirmed in her seat. Lila had been silently digging at her reputation for disappearing during akuma attacks for weeks now, and the tired hero was about to explode. Adrien’s comment reminded her that he saw through Lila’s facade as well, but she didn’t really want him looking too closely at her activities during akuma attacks either. 

“What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done, Lila?” Max asked.

“Oh, well…” she stumbled before lighting up. “One time I had to escape from a plane when it crash landed in the Pacific ocean.”

The whole class burst into gasps, some in awe and others in fear.

“Yeah, right,” Marinette muttered to herself. She glanced up and made eye contact with Adrien, who simply shook his head and sighed.

Miss Bustier took that moment to enter the classroom and start the day. Marinette did her best to set aside Lila’s latest claims, but it continued to simmer in the back of her mind.

\---------  
By lunch, Marinette was ready for a break from her classmates. They were all torn between being desperately curious about Lila’s heroic escape from death and being afraid to bother her by asking about what must have been a traumatizing experience. 

Marinette walked the short distance to the bakery, thankful again that she lived so close to school. She went straight to the kitchen, prepping her lunch and handing Tikki a cookie. Before she sat down to eat, she plugged her phone in to charge and set it on the couch.

“Thank you!” Tikki squeaked happily as she started munching on her cookie. 

“Of course,” Marinette said back quietly.

“Don’t let Lila’s comments get to you, Marinette,” Tikki said softly. “You and I both know you are brave.”

“I know that, Tikki, but I hate being her favorite target! I can’t afford to have that kind of scrutiny when I am constantly running off to secretly defeat akumas, some of which she has caused!”

Tikki nodded in understanding. “You’re right-”

Marinette’s phone started ringing, cutting off what Tikki was going to say.

“I wasn’t expecting a call, who is it?”

“The screen says it’s Jagged!”

“WHAT?!” Marinette screeched as she jumped up from her seat at the dining table and went diving over the back of the couch to grab her phone.

“Hello?” she answered. She half expected to just hear random background noises, as it would not have been the first time Jagged had accidentally called her.

“Marinette! How’s my favorite artist?” Jagged shouted excitedly, making Marinette smile.

“I’m great, how about you?” she asked back politely.

“Rock and roll! Listen, I have something I need some help with, and you are the PERFECT person for the job!”

“Really? I’d love to help! What do you need?” Marinette answered immediately.

“That’s my girl! Here’s the plan…”

\------  
Marinette settled back in her seat in class, and Alya noticed the shift in her mood immediately. 

“Someone had a good lunch, huh?” Alya teased. 

“You could say that,” Marinette teased back. “I got an unexpected phone call.”

“Did you, now?” Alya asked, intrigued.

“Who called?” Nino asked, unable to pretend he wasn’t listening.

“Oh, just a friend asking for my help.” Marinette had already decided she was going to wait to tell Alya what Jagged had asked her to do. After all, the last thing she wanted was for Lila to overhear and make it about herself.

“I’m not surprised they asked you, whoever it is,” Adrien said. “And I’m sure you’ll do an amazing job.”

Marinette temporarily lost the ability to breathe. “I, uh, um, th- thanks…” she stuttered as her face promptly caught fire. Luckily for her, the afternoon classes began and she was free to try and calm her breathing as Adrien turned back to face the teacher. Alya rolled her eyes, amused that her best friend could be shaken so easily by her crush.

\-------  
Marinette took her time packing up her supplies as the bell rang, signaling the end of another school day. 

“Sorry, I have to run,” Alya announced to the group. “I have to take care of the twin devils- I mean, my darling little sisters.”

Nino laughed as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I know you’d rather not be doing that, but that’s life. I’ve got to take care of my little bro tonight, too.”

“See, that right there makes me glad I am an only child,” Marinette laughed. “I can’t imagine having anything else on my to do list right now.”

“And yet, you’re doing a favor for a mystery friend?” Lila purred as she waltzed past, headed for the door.

“Of course she is,” Adrien said, stepping between Lila and Marinette. “No one is more helpful than Marinette. One time, she helped Chat Noir himself on a mission.”

“Did she?” Lila said, feigning surprise. “And how did that go? Why wasn’t Ladybug there?”

Before Marinette could say anything, Adrien took a menacing step toward Lila. “She faced an akuma on her own and helped Chat Noir escape a trap. He could not have met back up with Ladybug without her help.”

At this point, the entire class was staring at Adrien. Lila glanced around, noticing how invested people were getting in the conversation. “Ladybug wouldn’t have needed the help, but I guess Chat Noir got lucky Marinette was there.” With that, she left the room.

Adrien turned to Marinette, dropping his voice. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to barge in-”

“It’s ok! You’re ok! You’re thanks great! I mean, you’re great, thanks! Um…”

“Here.” Adrien slipped a piece of paper into her hand. “I have to go, but if you want to talk about anything…”

“Of course! You have places important to be! I mean, you’re important! Wait, no, important places to be!” Marinette babbled, gripping the paper like it was her lifeline.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck, watching her as her face flushed and she nearly dropped her bag. He leaned in and whispered directly into her ear, “I figure you don’t want Lila to know about this friend, and Alya won’t be able to keep her mouth shut if you tell her. So since you can’t talk to your best friend, maybe you can talk to me. I swear I won’t tell anyone.”

With that, Adrien left the room, giving her a small wave and a smile as he did. Marinette was grateful that he left before the high pitched whine threatening in her throat hit maximum volume.

\------  
“So, Jagged Stone called me today,” Marinette said, trying to sound casual. She had been dying to tell her parents all throughout dinner, but she was also too hungry to talk and eat at the same time.

“Was it an accidental call again?” Tom asked with a chuckle. “I know the first few times he did that gave you quite the shock.”

“This was a real call,” Marinette answered with a smile. “He actually wanted to ask for my help with a specific project.”

“That’s wonderful!” Sabine cheered. “What’s the project? Or is it too top secret for parents?” she asked with a wink.

“Actually, I need you permission for it.” 

Tom and Sabine looked at each other for a moment in confusion. 

Marinette took a deep breath. “Ok, so Jagged and a few other artists are doing this big fundraiser and social media campaign for arts programs in schools.”

“That’s wonderful!” Tom said enthusiastically.

“It is! Each celebrity is apparently trying to outdo each other on social media, so Jagged got this crazy idea and he asked me to do it with him and I think it’s a great cause but it’s kind of scary but I can’t let him down and-”

“Breath, dear,” Sabine said softly. “What exactly did he ask you to do?”

“Well…”


	2. Text Speak

**MDC: Hey, Adrien, this is Marinette!**

“I’m so proud of you!” Tikki cheered. “It only took you 20 minutes of panicking to send that text!”

“I know! He gave me his number without me asking for it, and he was right about me wanting to talk to someone who wouldn’t tell Lila.” Marinette took a deep breath. “How long do you think it’ll be before he answers?”

“That’s a good-” Tikki was interrupted by the buzz of the phone. Marinette did her best to not pounce instantly on the poor device. It took her three tries to unlock the screen.

_AA: Hey Marinette!_

_AA: I’m not going to lie, I have been really hoping you would text me._

“Tikki, I can’t handle this!” Marinette screeched.

“Yes, you can! Keep reading!” Tikki giggled.

_AA: I am dying of curiosity about your newest project!_

**MDC: You know what they say about curiosity…**

**MDC: =^.^=**

“Did I really just send Adrien Agreste a cat emoticon? Oh no, Tikki, he’s gonna think I’m a complete dork-a-saurus!”

\------

Adrien stared at his phone. “Does she… know?” he whispered. “There’s no way? Right?”

“If you were talking to me, I wasn’t listening,” came a sardonic voice from the trash can in the corner.

“Plagg, this is serious!” Adrien jumped up from his seat on the couch and started pacing the floor of his room. “Ladybug said Marinette could never be Multimouse again because I knew her identity! And I’m her partner! If Marinette knows I’m Chat Noir, Ladybug will take my Miraculous away for good!”

_MDC: I am so sorry, I just made everything weird, didn’t I?_

**AA: What’s weird? You’re not weird. I’m weird**

“What?! Why did I type that?!” Adrien’s panic was amping up.

_MDC: You’re not weird!!_

_MDC: I’ll just tell you_

_MDC: Jagged Stone called me and asked me to join him on a special project._

Adrien took a few deep breaths.

**AA: That’s so cool!**

**AA: What’s the project?**

**AA: Only if it’s not a secret, of course.**

_MDC: A few different celebrities are doing a big event for art programs in schools_

**AA: That’s awesome! Of course he thought of you!**

_MDC: Aww, thanks Adrien_

_MDC: So he wants me to join him in a big stunt for social media_

**AA: A stunt, huh?**

_MDC: A big one for sure_

**AA: Marinette… what did you volunteer to do?**

_MDC: Well, it’s for charity…_

**AA: What did Jagged ask you do?**

_MDC: Would I be crazy if I said yes to jumping out of an airplane?_

Adrien, who had just finally managed to sit back down, jumped to his feet again.

**AA: WHAT?**

_MDC: It’s not going to be that high of a jump!_

_MDC: I’ll be strapped to an expert_

**AA: Lila was wrong today in class. You don’t have to do this to prove that you’re brave**

_MDC: This isn’t about Lila_

_MDC: Well, not entirely_

Adrien was trying to remember how to breathe. Plagg floated over and Adrien let him read the conversation. “Pigtails really don’t know how to say no, does she?” he laughed.

“No, she doesn’t! Which makes her a great friend but also she needs to…”

_MDC: Please don’t tell anyone in class about this. With the timing of Lila’s story today, no one will believe me_

**AA: I won’t tell anyone**

**AA: You’re right, they would all get suspicious**

**AA: Are you absolutely sure you want to do it?**

_MDC: Yes, I am. It’s a really unique opportunity._

Adrien laughed. Of course she would look at this logically. She would do anything for a friend, even if it was absolutely insane.

**AA: That’s an understatement! Skydiving with Jagged Stone for charity? For anyone else that would be their greatest achievement!**

\--------

“What does that mean, Tikki?”

“I don’t know, ask him!”

**MDC: What do you mean, for anyone else it would be great?**

_AA: I meant that for other people, they would never be cooler_

_AA: You, on the other hand, are one of the coolest people I know_

_AA: You’ve worked with Jagged before, and Clara Nightingale, and impressed my father, and helped Chat Noir on a mission, and you aren’t even out of school yet!_

_AA: This is just one more cool story for someone like you_

“He’s really impressed with you!” Tikki flew in excited circles around Marinette’s head.

“I don’t know why, though. He knows all of those people too.”

**MDC: Thanks, that means a lot to me <3 **

“Did… did I just send Adrien a heart? Oh no! He gave me his number 6 hours ago! He’s going to regret this! He’ll never speak to me again! We’ll never get married or have 3 kids or a hamster named-”

Tikki flew in between Marinette and her phone. “Marinette, breathe! Don’t make me stuff a cookie in your mouth!”

The girl stopped mid-sentence and stared at her kwami. “You wouldn’t.”

_AA: You’re an amazing girl, Marinette._

_AA: I have to go to bed now, early photoshoot tomorrow (surprise)_

_AA: Good night_

**MDC: Good night**

Marinette did not form another coherent sentence before she passed out two hours later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I once received a text from my best friend that said, "hey, so I'm doing something crazy for this fundraiser" and when I said "What did you agree to?" the response was "I'm gonna jump out of a plane" and I just KNEW it belonged in a story somewhere XD


	3. Experimental

Marinette was used to keeping secrets; she was practically a professional at this point. It didn’t bother her in the slightest to walk into school with one more thing in her life she didn’t want to share with her classmates. The skydiving event was set for the first of March, which was just two weeks away. 

Usually, though, no one else knew she had a secret to keep. She didn’t realize how different it would be to have a friend that was up to speed.

“Hi!” Adrien greeted her enthusiastically on the front steps of the school. His smile was a mile wide, his hair was perfect, and all in all he was too much for poor Marinette to handle.  A string of unintelligible syllables escaped her mouth as she tripped up the stairs. Adrien caught her hand and kept her from falling entirely, but it was still a pretty spectacular spill.

“Guess I shouldn’t be too worried about your upcoming activity,” he laughed. “You do have a lot of practice falling with style.”

If Marinette wasn’t blushing before, she certainly was now. 

“Hey, you ok?” he asked. 

“No, you’re fine. I mean, I’m fine!” she gushed.

“Ok, let’s get to class where you can sit still and don’t have to worry about where you’re going.”

\--------

“We are starting an experimental program at the school,” Ms Bustier announced after the class turned in their homework. “It’s one of the programs being introduced to help reduce akuma attacks. We want all of the students here to feel comfortable with who they are and make sure everyone has a thorough understanding of some… complex topics.”

“I’m pretty sure I know who I am,” Kim said, leaning over his desk. “I’m Kim, and I’m the best athlete in this class!”

“I’m glad you’re confident, Kim, but that’s not what I mean. The project will have three parts. One part will be delivered here in the classroom, where we will discuss concepts and terminology. The second part will be personal research and reflection. The third part is where things get experimental.” 

“Is this official? I’m not interested in doing extra credit or anything,” Chloe said loudly from her seat in the front row.

“Participation is mandatory, but there will not be a grade attached.”

“Ok, now I want to know, what’s this mysterious third element?” Alya said impatiently as she wiggled in her seat.

“Each student will be assigned a confidential email address and connected with a fellow student. You will be asked to discuss your research and act as a sounding board for each other.”

“Why talk to an anonymous student? Why not talk to a teacher?” Nino asked.

“We want you to connect with your peers, with people who are going to understand where you are coming from because they are in the same place.”

“Doesn’t anyone want to know what the topics will be?” Alix asked, focused on the bigger picture.

Ms Bustier took a deep breath. “The project will cover a broad range of topics: gender identity, sexual orientation, romantic orientation, love languages-”

“We will be discussing that with a fellow student?” Rose asked nervously.

“Yes, but as I said, it will be completely anonymous. You will not know who you are talking to. We are asking everyone to keep their own identity a secret throughout the exchange of messages. We feel you will best be able to examine your identity if the person you are talking to has no clues as to who you are.”

The class buzzed with a combination of excitement and nerves. This was incredibly different from anything they had done before, and the topics they would be covering were a bit heavier than their standard classes.

“You will receive instructions to set up your emails tomorrow. Until then, think about how you want to be known when there are no assumptions about you to work through.”

\--------

Alya was beyond excited at lunch. “This is insane! They really think we can all keep our identities under wraps? Yeah, right! I’m sure I’ll figure out my partner in no time.”

“The same way you’ve figured out Ladybug and Cat Noir?” Nino asked in a teasing voice.

“Oh shut up, there’s magic involved with them.”

“Do you really think magic keeps people from recognizing Ladybug?” Adrien asked.

“Of course! Those masks don’t really hide THAT much,” Alya said with an air of authority. “Besides, I’m not trying to actively unmask them anymore.”

“That’s good, I’m sure they keep their identities a secret for a reason,” Marinette said quietly. She knew Alya had backed off after joining the team as Rena Rouge, but it was reassuring to hear it from her again.

“But if I knew them, I could help so much more!” Alya shouted, nearly jumping from her seat. “I could cover for them to go take care of akumas, I could carry supplies for them-”

“Babe,” Nino said patiently, putting his hand on Alya’s shoulder to guide her back into her seat at the table. “They know how much you want to help.”

“Yeah, I know.” There was a moment of sadness as she remembered how her identity had been compromised in the last big showdown with Hawkmoth. “ANYWAY, back to today’s topic.”

“I’m not sure how Ms Bustier plans to handle the presentations. She’s already not very comfortable with the topics, or at least she didn’t seem like it today,” Marinette said, thinking back to the teacher’s body language. 

“It is really hard stuff to talk about,” Adrien agreed.

“That’s why it matters so much!” Alya said. “Look, not everyone is as self-aware as I am.”

“You’re right, Alya, which means you probably will need to be pretty patient with whoever you get paired up with.” Marinette was split between hoping she got her bestie and hoping she didn’t. They had already had some long discussions when Alya was digging to find the label that fit her best, but that had all been pretty one-sided.

“I’m pretty sure the whole class hopes they get you, Marinette,” Adrien said softly.

“What? Why?” she asked, flustered.

“You’re the most supportive friend anyone could ever ask for. I know I count myself lucky to be your friend.”

Alya leaned over and whispered in Nino’s ear. “So that’s the end of Marinette talking for the rest of lunch…”

Her prediction was correct.

\------

The class received their emails the next day as planned, with the actual lessons planned to start on the upcoming Monday.

Ms Bustier made sure they all had the details. “I’ve sent you all a form to use when contacting your project partner for the first time. It’s hard to start a conversation when most of the things you usually say to introduce yourself are going to be analyzed in depth later.”

“Won’t it still be pretty easy to figure out who’s who though?” Sabrina asked.

“I don’t think I mentioned this, but this isn’t limited to just our class. Students from other classes are included, so you genuinely may not know the other person at all.”

Many students breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed easier to discuss deep personal topics with someone who didn’t actually know who they were talking to.

“You’ll start with basic things, mainly favorites like color or time of day. Keep it light but honest!”

Before anyone could ask more questions, the akuma alert started blaring.

\-------

Marinette was thrilled to crawl into bed after what had been a very long and annoying akuma battle. Apparently, losing to kids in an online video game was enough to send one young man on a magic-fueled rampage across the city.

“That was definitely NOT how I wanted to spend my time today,” she groaned into her pillow.

Tikki swallowed the last of her post-battle cookie. “Would you like to hear something that will cheer you up?”

“Do I have to move?”

“No,” the kwami giggled, “unless you count reading this text from Adrien as moving…”

Marinette flopped back and forth until her right arm was free and could reach out to blindly feel around for her phone. Tikki nudged it over, and she unlocked the screen.

_ AA: I didn’t get the chance to ask you at school, although that is probably for the best... _

_ AA: How are you feeling about your “volunteer project”? _

Marinette smiled. Honestly, she preferred talking to Adrien over text. She had the chance to think through what she was going to say and wasn’t pressured to respond instantly.

**MDC: I’m trying not to think about it too often. I’m not worried about my safety at all but…**

**MDC: What if they take a picture while we’re falling and my face is all weird?**

Marinette worked on setting up her email and filling out her intro form while she waited for a response. She knew Adrien was usually busy and certainly didn’t expect him to answer quickly.

_ AA: Trust me, even professional models can make weird faces in photos. I should know XD _

_ AA: One time, a pigeon kept flying around during a photoshoot, and they couldn’t use a single photo of me! _

Marinette read over the messages. She laughed so hard she snorted at the mental image of Adrien sneezing over and over again while trying to strike a pose. It wasn't hard to imagine after watching Cat Noir attempt basically the same thing after countless fights with Mr Pigeon. In fact…

**MDC: You mean like this?**

She attached a collage Alya had made of some of Cat’s most ridiculous sneezing faces, uploaded to the Ladyblog to commemorate their 25th round against a familiar (if underwhelming) foe.

He didn’t text back, so Marinette went back to her assignment. Favorite color was pink, which was easy. Also, she knew she wasn’t the only person who would say pink, as anyone who knew Rose knew that girl lived and breathed the color. The rest of the questions didn’t seem too bad, either…

\-----

Adrien stared at the Cat Noir collage on his phone screen.

“Does she know? How? How long?” His panic ramped right back up. Trapped in his room, as he was every night, he didn’t have to worry about anyone else hearing him. 

“What did Pigtails say this time that has you so wound up?” Plagg asked, feigning interest.

“I said I’ve taken awkward photos because of pigeons, and she sent me this!” He shoved the phone at his kwami, who took one look and burst out in uncontrollable laughter.

“Oh, kid, those are some great shots!”

“That’s so not the point, Plagg! Does Marinette know who I am or not?!”

“Why are you asking me?” Plagg complained. “Do I look like her?”

“No, but I should go talk to her, see how she reacts to a visitor.”

“That’s not what I meant! I want to stay here and eat my-”

“Plagg, claws out!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I have ADHD so all you're going to get is short scenes, sorry XD I also SUCK at writing action, so akuma battles will not get much coverage... But hey, at least the main plot is now set up!


	4. Who Am I?

Marinette was staring hopelessly at her tablet, snuggled under multiple blankets on her bed. 

“You would think I would be good at describing myself without giving anything away, Tikki, but this is harder than I expected.”

“I can check everything before you send it to make sure you don’t give anything important away.”

“Thanks, T-” Marinette stopped suddenly as she heard the clatter of boots on the roof above her head. “What is he doing here?”

She wrapped herself in one of the blankets and cautiously stuck her head out of the trap door to her balcony. Cat Noir was pacing back and forth anxiously, muttering under his breath.

“Um, can I help you?” she called out.

Cat Noir jumped nearly a full foot up into the air and swallowed a hiss of surprise. “Oh, hey, funny you should ask… um, I have a hypothetical question for you?”

Marinette looked at her partner with concern. “Really? Fire away then.”

“Right, well, um… purely a hypothetical question, but, um... “

“Spit it out!” Marinette shouted. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled, I’m just cold and tired.”

Cat froze. “Wait, what time is it?”

“Well after my bed time. What’s your pressing question?”

“Um, yeah, I just wondered… if you knew me, civilian me, would you… tease me?”

“What?” Marinette was truly puzzled. She couldn’t even begin to guess where this was coming from.

“Well, I know you were Multimouse that one time, and you were AMAZING by the way, but I haven’t really talked to you since then, but I have definitely thought of some great mouse puns, but I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, and-”

“Woah, slow down, Cat Noir. You’re too worked up to make much sense.”

“Do you… do you know who I am?’

Marinette stared at the awkward young man standing before her, rubbing his neck nervously and staring at the floor.

“I have no idea who you are, honestly. I wouldn’t even be able to guess at your identity.”

He let out a big sigh, tension rushing from every inch of his body. “I’m sorry for bothering you. I latched on to an idea and I just couldn’t let it go. Please, I would really appreciate it if we could just pretend like this conversation didn’t happen at all. Is that ok?”

“Sure, I can do that for Paris’s greatest hero!” she laughed softly.

“Ladybug is Paris’s greatest hero, but I guess this would be for her sake too.”

“I will not let you act like you are less of a hero than she is. You’re amazing, Cat Noir.” Marinette said this fiercely and locked eye contact with the hero in question.

“Thank you. That really means a lot coming from you.” He smiled at her, and it seemed delicate somehow. “On that note, I’m gonna go home. Catch you later, mouse!”

“Wait, did you just pun at me?!” she shouted as he jumped away laughing.

Marinette got settled in her bed again silently. 

_ What in the world could have happened for him to think I knew his identity? _

She tried to keep herself from thinking about the conversation, but that was a lost cause.

... _ does he know me as a civilian? _

\------

It wasn’t until Marinette walked into class the next morning that she realized Adrien had stopped texting her after she sent the photo of Cat Noir.

“I am so sorry!” she squeaked out as she walked past his desk.

“Sorry for what?” he asked as smoothly as he could.

“I asked if you had looked as dorky as Cat Noir and you never answered! I didn’t mean to compare you to him! You look way better in photos than him! I mean-”

“Oh, it’s all good! I didn’t answer because I dropped my phone in the toilet so I only just got it to work again before I left this morning.” He shrugged, trying to look cool despite his story being anything but.

“I’ve dropped my phone SO many times, I totally understand! Once I dropped my phone in a cake! Luckily I didn’t bake it in there, could you imagine?” Marinette found that now that she was talking to Adrien, she couldn’t make herself stop. It was almost worse than not being able to talk to him at all!

“Was it for a wedding?” Adrien asked.

“Um, no?”

“Oh, that’s a shame. It would have had good reception!” Adrien said proudly.

This was the last straw for Marinette, who had been doing her absolute best when it came to holding what could pass as a normal conversation. 

“Whoa, dude, that was bad,” Nino commented as he slid into his seat next to Adrien.

“How would you know, you didn’t hear the set up!” Adrien pouted back.

“Didn’t have to, I know you, bro. To be fair, Marinette is a tough judge when it comes to puns.”

“Why?” Alya asked. She had walked in with Nino and was digging her class supplies out of her bag.

“Her dad is like a MASTER at puns, particularly baking puns.” Nino laughed. “Mr Dupain has his standard puns whenever he speaks to our class, and then there’s always some new ones thrown in.”

“Wow, you’re really lucky to have a dad like that, Marinette,” Adrien said. He turned and smiled at her, but she could tell it was the model smile. 

“I’ll take you home with me! I mean, you’re always welcome in my home! My parents love you- everyone! They love everyone!” Her face got redder and redder as she stumbled through what was meant to be a sweet gesture and instead sounded more like her words were thrown in one of the bakery’s mixers.

“So did anyone else write their intro for their secret project buddy last night?” Alya said to take the pressure off of Marinette. “I can’t figure out where to start! What am I supposed to say, I’m Ladybug’s biggest fan?”

“Not true, I’m pretty sure my bro is Ladybug’s biggest fan.” Nino threw an arm around Adrien’s neck and pulled him in for an awkward side hug.

“Um, Nino, babe, you do remember I run the one and only Ladyblog, right?” Alya asked with a raise of her eyebrow.

“Of course, dudette, but you haven’t seen this boy’s collection! I swear he owns every piece of Ladybug merch ever produced. Right?” he asked slyly.

“Um… yeah, just about,” Adrien mumbled while blushing.

Marinette was incredibly grateful that Ms Bustier walked in because she could NOT let herself imagine Adrien surrounded by pictures of Ladybug. Nope, not today.

\--------

_ AA: Are you nervous? _

Marinette stared at her phone. Nervous? About what? This schoolwide project with an anonymous partner? The constant fear that someone would unmask her? The pressure of being the Guardian while facing down a supervillain and keeping up with homework simultaneously?

_ AA: Maybe don’t look up any skydiving videos.  _

_ AA: In unrelated news, I regret the videos I spent the last hour watching… _

Marinette breathed a huge sigh of relief. Right, jumping out of a plane. At this point, it was pretty low on her anxiety list.

**MDC: I’ll take your word for it XD**

**MDC: I’m more worried about this intro email for the school project**

**MDC: Alya was right, this feels impossible to describe myself without making it obvious it’s me, you know?**

_ AA: Totally. I’ve deleted everything I’ve written so far more times than I can count _

**MDC: I’m about to distract myself with some baking and see if I can clear my head before I try again**

_ AA: That’s a great idea! _

_ AA: What are you baking? _

Marinette looked at her kwami. “What am I baking, Tikki?”

“Oh, I don’t know, let your heart guide you!” Tikki said sweetly. “I’m sure I’ll enjoy anything you make.”

“As long as it’s sweet, right?” Marinette laughed. “What if I tried an experiment?”

“What are you thinking?”

“What if I added raspberries to some chocolate chip cookies?”

Tikki began quivering with excitement. “I think you should get started right away!”

**MDC: Feeling like baking something unusual**

_ AA: A daring and bold move! I guess when you’re brave nothing stands in your way! _

**MDC: I wouldn’t call adding raspberries to chocolate chip cookies “brave” but sure**

_ AA: Um, that sounds AMAZING _

_ AA: What are the chances you could bring some to share in the morning? _

**MDC: Let’s see how they turn out first!**

Marinette plugged her tablet in to charge before heading down to the kitchen. The bakery was busy with the dinner rush, so her parents were downstairs and she didn’t want to get in the way by baking down there. She liked having the kitchen to herself anyway, because Tikki didn’t have to hide and could keep her company.

“Let’s bake some cookies Marinette style!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made the experiment cookies in question the night I wrote this chapter. They were yummy <3


	5. Hi

**Hi partner! I’m looking forward to talking to you during this process. I don’t think there’s a way to NOT sound awkward with this first message, but here goes! I would describe myself as a very creative person. I enjoy listening to people, especially my friends. My favorite color is pink and I’m definitely a night owl. While I can’t tell you my family heritage, I can say I am proud of who I am and where I come from. If I had to pick a movie character I relate to the most, it would probably be Mulan, but also Joy (from Inside Out).**

“I’m glad I took that baking break, that really did help me clear my mind and finish my introduction.” Marinette said as she pressed the “send” button. “Also the cookies ended up being pretty good, so that’s just a win all the way around!”

“I agree!” Tikki said as she picked up another cookie from the plate on Marinette’s desk. “Did you pack some up to take to school tomorrow?”

“I did, they are all boxed up so all I have to do is grab them off the counter in the morning.” Marinette kicked against the floor to roll back in her chair and stretched her arms above her head. “It feels good to have all of my homework done on a Thursday night. That way I only have a little to think about tomorrow and can truly enjoy the weekend.”

“Hopefully Hawkmoth also wants to have a relaxing weekend,” Tikki said.

“No kidding!” Marinette checked her phone, which she had purposefully set to silent during her study session. It was set up to only use sound for an akuma alert. “Oh, that’s great!”

“What’s great?” Tikki asked with her mouth full.

“Penny says I can wear whatever I want for the photos and interview before we get suited up and board the plane.” She got out of her chair and started looking through her closet. “I need to look suitably rock and roll next to Jagged.”

“You’ve got just over a week until then. Are you going to make something new?”

“No, I don’t think so. Hey, remember that Cat Noir outfit I was working on?”

Tikki looked puzzled. “The one you said was too edgy to really be your style?”

“It might be too edgy for me to wear on a normal school day, but I bet it would be perfect for this!” Marinette started pulling the pieces out and arranging them on her chaise lounge. “The black ripped skinny jeans, the green tank top, and the black jacket with the word “cataclysm” embroidered across the back! I bet Jagged will love this!”

“Cat Noir will probably love it too,” Tikki said with a wink.

“I’ve seen so many people in Ladybug inspired outfits, but not as many in his colors. It’s a shame, really.”

“What shoes will you wear?”

“I have some sturdy black boots that will look good with this outfit and probably be the safest shoes I could wear for the actual jump.”

“Good idea!”

\-----

Marinette walked into class holding the box of experiment cookies and saw that Alya, Nino, and Adrien were already seated and chatting.

“I brought treats!” Marinette announced as she set the box down at her desk.

“Are these the raspberry chocolate chip cookies you made last night?” Adrien asked excitedly.

“Yep!” Marinette managed to squeak. 

“Awesome!” He grabbed one from the box and popped it in his mouth with no hesitation. He chewed and swallowed with his eyes closed. “These are amazing, Marinette!”

“How did you know she made these last night?” Alya asked with a sly smile.

“Because she told me while we were texting?” he asked back, confused.

“You were texting?” Alya’s eyes slid over to Marinette. “Interesting…”

“What’s so interesting? You and I text all the time.” Marinette tried to sound nonchalant, but really she felt like melting through the floor.

“Oh, just didn’t know you did that with each other,” Alya teased.

“Dude, you’re right, these cookies are amazing,” Nino said to Adrien. 

“I got my intro email finished up last night, how about you?” Marinette asked to shake Alya off her current topic.

“I’m almost done, I’ll probably send it out tonight,” she answered.

“Same,” said Nino.

“My partner sent me their intro last night, and it was really good, so now I’m really struggling to write something back that holds up in comparison,” Adrien said. “At least I think I’m going to like my partner.”

“That’s a great start, then!” Nino said, fist bumping Adrien.

Ms Bustier came into the room and everyone settled down. “I know the first few emails have started going around. Please remember that we start covering the material for the project on Monday, so you really need to get the communication opened up before we dive in. Let's get today rolling!”

\----------

_ Hi partner! I’ve written and rewritten this email probably a hundred times. I really want to make a good first impression, but there’s not a lot for me to work with, is there? Your intro was really good, so I’m going to be lame and cover the same topics. I love the color blue, and I’m also a night person! Most of my friends are really creative, but I find myself drawn more to math and science. My family history is... kind of complicated. My favorite musician is Jagged Stone. Picking a movie character is REALLY HARD for me. If I stick with Disney, I guess I would say Quasimodo? His big song “Out There” really resonates with me. Or maybe Hercules? “Go The Distance” is also a great song. Oh who am I kidding… I’m Ariel and have been known to sing “Part Of Your World” in the shower… How did you make your intro sound cool while I’m over here sounding like a total dork? What I’m trying to say is: Hi. I like you already. I’m excited to be your anonymous partner, and hopefully your friend. _

Marinette read the email. Then she read it again. And again.

“Tikki, I don’t think I know this person at all,” she said after a fourth pass. “They seem interesting, but I’m guessing they’re from a different class.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Most of the other kids in class would never own up to liking Disney movies anymore. Most people think they’re just for kids, which is just categorically wrong.” She thought about it for a moment, her tongue unconsciously sticking out. “Also most of the kids in our class are super creative, and this person says they aren’t.”

“I thought the whole point was to not know who you’re talking to?” Tikki asked.

“You’re right. I guess I’m just wary about adding another secret identity to my plate. At least I don’t have to come up with a name this time!”

“That’s true!”

“Marinette, can you come help out in the bakery for the dinner rush?” Sabine called from the stairs.

“Coming, Maman!” Marinette called back. “Let’s go downstairs. They’ll be happy to know I’m already done with my homework for the night!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But really, I'm Joy. If I could drag people to happiness, I would


	6. Support

**Hey partner! Can I just say I already like you for your Disney knowledge? And I’m a Jagged fan too!**

**I am so sorry your family situation isn’t what you want it to be. Obviously I don’t have much info to work with on that, but the way you phrased that… Clearly you aren’t getting all of the support you deserve. From now on, consider me a part of your family! A virtual sibling, if you will. Something to know about me: I give my support to anyone and everyone who needs it, no questions asked. I may not know much about you, but I know that you matter.**

**Any guesses about Monday’s topic?**

“Tikki, is that… too much?” Marinette asked as she sat back. “Literally all they said was that their family was complicated.”

“I think you should trust your instincts,” Tikki answered, reading over the email before Marinette hit send. “You don’t have a lot to work with, especially since the first lesson is tomorrow morning, but I know you want to express your support so this works out for the best.”

“Ok. Is it good to send, then?”

“I think so.”

Marinette pressed send before she could doubt her word choices any more. 

“Less than a week to the big event with Jagged!” Tikki said, determined to keep Marinette busy and not staring at her tablet waiting for a response email. “Are you ready?”

“I guess so? I picked my outfit, I’ve talked to Penny several times about the schedule for the day. It’s not really like I can practice for the jump itself.”

“Marinette couldn’t, but maybe Ladybug could?” Tikki asked innocently.

“What, you think I should jump off the Eiffel tower tonight during patrol? ‘Hey Cat Noir, don’t mind me, I’m just practicing my skydiving skills so I look cool with a rock star next weekend.’ Yeah, I don’t see that working out.”

“Not like that and you know it!” Tikki tried to maintain a scolding tone, but her smile was evident.

“I’ve had a few good falls during akuma attacks. Honestly, I’m probably better prepared than most people are before their first jump.”

“I’m sure it will be different doing it without being transformed.”

Marinette thought about it for a moment. “You’re right. I wonder if it will be scarier or more fun that way?”

“Secretly a daredevil? I never would have guessed it!” Tikki laughed.

“My fears have certainly changed a bit after being Ladybug. Things I used to be afraid of don’t seem nearly as intimidating anymore.”

“Are you afraid of being late for patrol?”

“No, why would I be?”

Tikki looked at Marinette’s phone pointedly. “Because you should have left already?”

“Oops! Let’s go!”

\-------

Patrol was easy that Sunday night. A few laps around the monuments had shown the night was quiet. Hawkmoth had given them a few days since the last attack, and both heroes were grateful they had gotten an uninterrupted weekend.

“Anything fun coming up this week?” Cat Noir asked as they sat on the highest deck of the Eiffel tower.

“Civilian me has a pretty full schedule, yeah,” Ladybug responded. “New project at school and a big favor for a friend. What about you?”

At this point, they had a pretty clear set of unspoken rules about what they could and could not talk about in their lives. School was generally a safe topic; since they were too young for specialty courses, complaining about homework didn’t give anything away. They both knew, of course, that the other had friends and family. No details were ever given, but they didn’t pretend their civilian lives were void of any social networks.

“Same for school. Every so often they give us an assignment that just leaves me scratching my head, but hey, what can you do?” he said with a shrug. “I’m not surprised you’re helping a friend. It’s what I would expect from you.”

“Sometimes that comes around to bite me, though,” she admitted. “I’ve definitely found myself jumping in and volunteering to help with things that are realistically out of my range. Not to mention how little time I end up with for myself…”

“Especially when they don’t know about all of this?” he asked softly.

“Exactly.”

They both sat in silence for a moment before Cat Noir leaned in and bumped her shoulder with his. “Obviously there’s only so much help I can offer without giving away secret identities, but if you have anything I can help with, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Ladybug turned and locked eye contact with him. “I appreciate that, Cat. Really. Sometimes it helps just knowing I have someone who would be there for me no matter what.”

“Always, my Lady,” he said sincerely, maintaining eye contact.

“Anyway,” she said, looking back over the city skyline, “the nice thing about this particular favor is it’s the rare one-and-done types.”

“Is it? That’s a refreshing change, I assume?” he asked, also turning his gaze back to the view.

“It is. I’ve been told I’m a good listener, so a lot of the time the help I give people is listening to their problems and gently suggesting advice. Sometimes, that’s more exhausting than akuma battles.” She almost sounded sad.

“I know you’re not going to stop doing that because it’s who you are as a person and why you are such an amazing hero, but I might have to ask you to take care of yourself as a favor to me.”

She laughed. “Maybe it would be easier to do if I framed it as a favor for you. It just feels selfish for me to take time for myself.”

“Ladybug,” he said sternly. “You have to take care of yourself. This is not up for debate. Not to add pressure to you, but you’re kind of important. If you get hurt in a battle because you’re tired or stressed, you’re going to wish you had taken better care earlier.”

Ladybug sighed in response. “You’re right, you’re right.”

“Ok, the next time you feel bad about taking some personal time, just imagine me yelling at you to take a break.”

This got the laugh from her that he desperately wanted to hear. 

“This is why you’re my best friend, Cat Noir. You know me better than anyone. None of my other friends have ever said anything like that.”

“I know they don’t know about the Ladybug stuff, but can’t they tell you’re constantly taking care of others?”

“I don’t talk about everything I do to help though. The big favor this week? There’s only one other friend who knows. And my parents of course, since it’s the kind of thing I need permission for.”

“Why not tell more people?” he asked, genuinely confused.

“I can’t really explain since it’s going to be pretty public when it happens, but it’s the kind of thing that sounds fake without proof.”

“Gotcha, I’ve been in situations like that outside the suit.”

They lapsed into friendly silence again. After a few calm minutes, Ladybug stood up. 

“I need to head home and get some sleep, but I’m glad we had a good talk tonight.” He stood up as well and she gave him a quick hug.

“Take care of yourself, my Lady,” he said with a salute and a smile before jumping away.

“For you? Anything,” she said as she watched him go.

\--------

Marinette woke to find an email in response.

_ Hey partner! Wow, you hit the nail right on the head. Are you sure you don’t know who I am? I don’t think I could have picked a better partner for this project if I had tried.  _

_ No clue on the first lesson. I’m a little embarrassed to admit this, but I know very little about the subject so I can’t really guess. We’ll find out soon! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One time I had to stop myself from offering to marry someone I had just met because they needed a green card. I literally have no filter when someone asks me for help XD


	7. Lesson One

“Good morning class! Has everyone established contact with their project partner?” Ms Bustier asked.

A chorus of affirmation filled the room. Some people sounded less excited than others, but it seemed like everyone had at least completed step one of introducing themselves anonymously.

“Excellent! It’s important to remember that humans are inherently social creatures. Everyone has a drive to connect with other people. It’s easier to do that when you understand yourself and can use that information to better understand others. Each one of you views the world in a unique way, but some of you share similar filters. For example: For those of you with siblings, you understand when someone else complains about their own siblings. Our goal with this project is to analyze different elements of your identity and identify the filters that color the way you view the world.  We’re going to start by talking about the different types of love. In our modern culture, the media focuses really heavily on romantic love. It’s portrayed as the most important goal of a person’s life. But there are other kinds of love, and those can be just as important, if not more so.”

“But romance is so wonderful!” Rose exclaimed, unable to keep her thoughts to herself.

“I didn’t say it wasn’t, Rose,” Ms Bustier responded with a smile. “But what about the love of a parent?”

“All this focus on love is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!” Chloe shouted. Everyone else squirmed awkwardly in their seats and glanced around. They had all seen Chloe interacting with her parents, particularly her mother, and they could also guess at why the topic of parental love might seem ridiculous to her.

“That’s exactly what we need to learn to look deeper when it comes to love, Chloe.” Ms Bustier said gently. “You clearly care deeply for Sabrina as your friend. That is also love.”

“Are you referring to the types of love defined by the Greeks?” Max asked bluntly. 

“The Greeks had several different words to describe different kinds of love, yes,” Ms Bustier confirmed. “However, the goal here is not necessarily to label the love you feel but to identify where you give and receive love in your life.”

“Like I know Marinette loves me when she bakes me my favorite treat,” Alya said, giving her friend a quick side hug. “I don’t need to name to know it’s because she cares.”

Marinette blushed at that.

“And Ladybug loves all of Paris so much, she is willing to fight battle after battle to keep everyone safe.” Adrien said with a dreamy look on his face.

If Marinette thought she was blushing before, it was nothing compared to the current fire burning her face now. 

“Exactly!” Ms Bustier encouraged. “So the first topic is love in all forms. Take a look at your own life. Who do you love? And who loves you? This is more than looking at who you’re dating or crushing on. Who do you turn to when you are upset? Who takes care of you? And who in your life would you drop everything for if they asked?”

\------

**Hey partner! Wow, they dropped us right in the deep end didn’t they? “Who do you love and who loves you?”**

**I’m pretty giving with my love. I have a pretty good relationship with my parents. I do my best to help them when I can and follow the rules they set. I know I can go to them when I have a problem. I don’t have any brothers or sisters so I have always wondered what that felt like…**

**I love my friends a lot too. I do lots of little things for them, and I like putting a lot of thought into gifts for them. I end up doing a lot of favors for people actually, because I have a hard time saying no. My best friend recently called me out on that. He said I need to take care of myself.**

**I guess that would count as not being very good at self-love? I tend to rank my needs or wants at the bottom of the list, but I can’t help it. If I can make someone else happy or safe, isn’t that what I should do?**

_ Hey partner. You’re right, we didn’t get a light topic to start this with!  _

_ I almost feel like I’m overflowing with love to give, and not enough people who can really handle it. You were right, I don’t get a lot of support at home. I didn’t really have friends for a long time, and I’m trying to play catch up on so many social skills and figure out what is or is not normal when it comes to expressing my feelings.  _

_ I tried dating someone recently and, well… It wasn’t what I was looking for. Don’t get me wrong, they’re a great person and all. But they were very forceful and everything needed to be neat and clean and fit in boxes. I tend to find my feelings messy and complicated and that really clashed with who they were. When I feel things, it consumes me. _

_ I do have one person that I trust more than anyone else, but at the core it is a working partnership. I’ve seen this person at their very best and at their lowest points, and they’ve seen me at those points too. Because I don’t have many acceptable outlets for my emotions, I used to dump more of it on this person than they deserved. I’m learning to express myself in other places in my life so it isn’t quite such a concentrated dose, you know? _

_ Obviously I can’t say I really know you yet, but I definitely believe you when you say you care for others before yourself. Your friend is right - self love is also important. _

**I’m so sorry you don’t have more people you can be yourself with. Constantly censoring yourself is exhausting. Do you also take care of yourself?**

**I get having emotions that feel overwhelming. I have had a crush on a classmate since the beginning of the year that was so bad at one point I couldn’t talk to them at all! I wanted nothing more than to see them smile. But they started seeing someone else, and that other person made them smile, so… I’m trying to get to know someone new in a more formal date-like way and… I don’t know. I want to try it so I don’t regret missing things, but I don’t have anything to compare it to so I just spend a lot of time second guessing all of it.**

_ I hardly have time to think about taking care of myself. I don’t have a lot of control of things in my life, so most of the time I just go along with what I’ve been told to do. I DEFINITELY know what you mean about not wanting to miss out on experiences everyone says are so important. The cultural push to date for dating’s sake has always sat weird with me, but I assumed it was because I didn’t have enough to compare it to. _

**Exactly! The media says I need a romantic partner. And sometimes I crave having someone who loves you deeply and takes care of you, but then I remember that for it to be fair I need to love them back and care for them and… I can barely handle my own life, how could I take on someone else’s emotional needs? I guess if it’s the right person you don’t ask yourself that question? Like with my crush I never said “make them smile is now on my to do list”, it was a simple fact that I needed to make that happen. With the person I’m seeing it’s not as second nature. Like I have to make the conscious choice to text them and check in. But they are really sweet and kind and care for me so much. I think I’m overthinking it.**

_ Is that relationship really what you want? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is a sucker for deep conversations with anonymous online friends? ME


	8. Evaluating

Marinette moved through Tuesday morning in a bit of a daze. She and Luka hadn’t put a label on whatever they had together, and part of that was because of her own guilt at just how little time and attention she could give him. But the email exchange last night had knocked her confidence in the arrangement. 

She had told herself that she couldn’t let being Ladybug and the Guardian stop her from reaching normal teen milestones. She had also decided to stop actively pursuing Adrien when she saw his dynamic with Kagami. She still believed deep down that those were valid decisions. Luka, though…

Was she just interested because he showed interest in her? Was this just her human need for connection pushing her to the first person that seemed to fit the bill?

_ No _ , she reasoned back.  _ If that was the case, wouldn’t I have chosen Cat Noir? _

Her friends all seemed to sense her contemplative mood. At lunch, Alya chattered to no one about a possible redesign for the Ladyblog. Nino was frantically trying to finish the homework that was due in their next class. Adrien had gone home for lunch, as he did every day, but not without texting her a quick note that he was here if she needed him.

Lila was holding court on the other side of the lunch room. “My project partner, poor thing, is trying to handle all of the fake love that comes with being famous!”

Alya elbowed Nino and looked at Marinette to see her reaction. Usually, Lila insinuating she knew something about Adrien was enough to set Marinette off. Today, however, Marinette was so far inside her own head that she didn’t even flinch.

“Did you have a good conversation with your project partner about the first topic?” Alya asked tentatively, trying to figure out if this was the source of her friend’s malaise.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, we talked back and forth last night.” Marinette didn’t even bother looking up from her food that she had barely tasted.

“I thought the point of the project was to make us feel better about ourselves,” Nino prodded gently.

“They rephrased my own question back to me in a way that made me reevaluate something and I’m just… I’m processing it.”

Before Alya and Nino could dig into her answer, all of their phones went off with an akuma alert.

“It’s close by!” Alya shouted as she dragged Nino out of his seat and out the door.

Marinette allowed herself one more deep sigh before gathering her things and heading to the battle.

\---------

“All of Paris shall feel my pain!”

“How original,” Ladybug commented as she landed next to her partner. “Doesn’t Hawkmoth get bored?”

“Apparently not,” Cat Noir responded. “This seems pretty straightforward to me.”

“Let’s do what we do best!” Ladybug smiled at him. “I’d like to finish my lunch, if possible.”

\-------

The battle finished right as her lunch break did. Marinette wasn’t too upset; she’d hardly been hungry all day. At least she wasn’t late to class. She had to cling to those little victories.

“Where are Nino and Alya?” Adrien asked as she walked in. He was already seated and ready to take notes.

“Um, well, there was an atuma akack- I mean, an akuma attack. Alya wanted videos for the blog, and she took Nino with her.”

“Asked him to go or physically dragged him along?” Adrien asked with a chuckle.

“Uh, the second one,” Marinette answered shyly. 

“According to the news it wasn’t close to here, was it?”

“It started close, but it ended a few miles away.” Marinette shrugged. “I mean, I think that’s what I heard, I could be wrong-”

Alya and Nino burst in the door, desperately trying to catch their breath.

“Thank you for rejoining the class,” Ms Bustier said dryly as the two slid into their seats with their heads down.

Marinette noticed that Alya didn’t look as excited as she usually did when she got back from filming. She scribbled a quick note and waited for Ms Bustier to turn toward the board to slide it over.

**Get any good footage?**

_ Ugh, no! I’m glad LB and CN are good at what they do but I need more time to get there and film! _

**It was a fast battle?**

_ Yep _

**Better luck next time?**

_ I guess so _

**At least you got to spend some time with Nino**

_ Yeah… when was the last time you spent some time with Luka? _

This brought Marinette up short. When  _ was _ the last time she saw him? She already felt guilty because she could never seem to remember to answer his text messages. She hadn’t really talked to him since she agreed to the skydiving event with Jagged Stone. That had been over a week ago.

Slowly, Marinette realized she hadn’t talked to Luka in over a week. And more importantly, she didn’t realize it without someone asking her directly. This was not a good sign.

**I think it was the last Kitty Section rehearsal?**

_ GIRL _

_ I thought there was potential there, but apparently not _

**It’s not that simple! I think to myself, “Oh I should text Luka” and then something comes up and then I don’t think about it again and then the next thing I know it’s been over a week**

_ You text me all the time. And you were texting with Adrien last week apparently _

**My brain has 2 modes for time: Now and Not Now. Texting Luka just keeps falling in the Not Now category**

_ Again, apparently the potential just isn’t there _

Ms Bustier passed out a worksheet for them to all fill out, ending the note passing between the girls. That didn’t stop Marinette from thinking about what had been said. 

\---------

**MDC: Hey, Luka**

_ LC: Hello Marinette _

_ LC: How are you? _

**MDC: An apologetic hot mess**

_ LC: Is there anything I can help with? _

Marinette nearly made a joke about helping her get more time in the day, but remembered that she maybe shouldn’t say a joke like that to the former holder of the Snake miraculous.

**MDC: Not really, that’s what makes it hard to handle**

_ LC: What are you trying to handle? _

**MDC: I seem to have overextended myself… again**

_ LC: I see _

_ LC: Anything you can cancel? _

**MDC: I can’t quit school, so not really**

_ LC: Juleka mentioned a new program? Is that part of it? _

**MDC: Yep, sure is. How much did she tell you about it?**

_ LC: Not much, just that it was supposed to prevent akumas and help you with personal identities _

**MDC: Yeah, we’ve only just started so we’re all still trying to figure out how it’s going to work**

**MDC: I don’t like feeling like I don’t know where a project is heading**

_ LC: But isn’t the point of a project like this to enjoy the journey? _

**MDC: I guess? But they were vague about the goal**

_ LC: Just let yourself enjoy the process and live in the now _

**MDC: That’s easier said than done for me**

_ LC: You’re an artist. Do you always have a plan when you start a new piece? _

**MDC: Most of the time I do. I have an idea, then sketches, then patterns. I may have to adjust but there is a clear path**

_ LC: Oh _

**MDC: ...is that not how you write music?**

_ LC: Music is more of a feeling I follow and allow to guide me _

Marinette stared at her phone. This conversation had started awkward, sure, but now it was getting uncomfortable. Luka’s relaxed vibe had been attractive at first, but she was craving structure and he didn’t seem to understand that.

**MDC: Maybe I could explain better in person**

_ LC: Quite possible. How does Sunday afternoon sound? We can spend some time in the park? _

**MDC: Sure, that sounds like a plan**

Marinette felt a little better with a plan in place. Now she could switch gears to her homework. She started by checking her project email.

_ Hey partner, I am SO SORRY. I didn’t mean to sound like I was questioning you or your choices! Everyone has different needs, and your relationship is your business. Please tell me I haven’t screwed this whole thing up already! _

**You didn’t mess anything up! I ended up spending the whole day reevaluating some things. I think I needed you to ask that question. I chatted with the other person and we’re going to meet up in person, possibly to discuss things? I don’t know what I’ll say just yet, but now that I know we’ll be talking I can prepare.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't write akuma attacks to save my life, so they will be pretty few and far between in this fic, sorry


	9. You Can't Help Existing

Marinette was trying to get her room cleaned Thursday afternoon, but she was having a hard time sticking to any one task long enough to make progress. So when her phone chirped, she immediately snagged it off the charger and sat on her bed.

_ AA: I saw the announcement! _

**MDC: What announcement?**

_ AA: Jagged said he was doing something on Saturday that is going to be, and I quote “totally rock and roll” _

**MDC: Oh good! Penny said they wanted to wait until the details were finalized which is why nothing was said when I agreed last week**

_ AA: I’ve seen a lot of events go badly when things were announced too early _

**MDC: Jagged likes to have room to improvise, so the less details in advance the better**

_ AA: Are you feeling ready? _

**MDC: As ready as I can be? Not really like I can practice lol**

_ AA: I guess not, huh? _

_ AA: How are you feeling about being the school’s guinea pigs on this partner project? _

**MDC: I wish they gave us clear goals and topics at the beginning**

_ AA: It might be for the same reason Jagged didn’t announce details _

**MDC: ...I hadn’t thought of that**

_ AA: I got an AMAZING partner so I’m doing ok so far _

_ AA: How about you? _

**MDC: I also got really lucky, we seem to be a good match**

_ AA: Do you think we’ll get to do a reveal? _

Marinette set her phone down carefully before grabbing a nearby pillow and screaming into it.

“What’s wrong, Marinette?” Tikki asked, confused by the sudden outburst.

“I know he’s talking about the email partners but I can’t handle imagining Adrien asking me about identity reveals.”

**MDC: I don’t know. There is some appeal to the mystery aspect**

_ AA: It certainly adds some flair to the exchange _

“Tikki… has Adrien always been this big of a dork?”

**MDC: I guess I’m a little afraid of where the project will take us**

**MDC: Like we’re only on week one and it has me reevaluating how I interact with people?**

_ AA: Same _

Marinette climbed out of bed and checked her tablet for the 4th time that evening. It was sitting on the only clear space on her desk.

_ AA: What are you up to? I’m waiting for them to finish prepping the set for this photoshoot _

**MDC: That sounds more interesting than what I’m doing…**

_ AA: Which is? _

**MDC: Trying and failing to clean my room**

_ AA: Failing? _

**MDC: I started organizing my desk, but then I realized the computer monitor was dusty, so I grabbed a rag, which reminded me I needed to do laundry, so I gathered and sorted my clothes, so I took the basket downstairs, but then I passed the kitchen and needed a snack, and now I’m sitting here with a cookie and no progress**

_ AA: OMG _

_ AA: Marinette _

_ AA: This is literally the “if you give a mouse a cookie” story _

Marinette froze. No one had compared her to a mouse before, and it was hard not to jump straight to the “Adrien knows I’m Multimouse” conclusion.

**MDC: LOL**

She checked her tablet for a 5th time and there was FINALLY an email from her project partner!

_ Hey partner! I found a quote that is just so perfect for this week’s discussion of love: _

_ “If only I had known you were existing, I would have sent you  _ _ heaps _ _ of love, long ago. And, now that I come to think about it, I ought to have sent you the love, without being so particular about whether you existed or not. In  _ _ some _ _ ways, you know, people, that  _ _ don't _ _ exist, are so much nicer than people that do. For instance, people that  _ _ don't _ _ exist are never  _ _ cross _ _ : and they never  _ _ contradict _ _ you: and  _ _ they never tread on your toes _ _! Oh, they're  _ _ ever _ _ so much nicer than people that  _ _ do _ _ exist! However, never mind: you can't help existing, you know; and I daresay you're  _ _ just _ _ as nice as if you didn't.” _

**I can’t even put into words how profound that quote is. I didn’t realize I’ve felt those things until I read that... Who said it?**

_ Mathematics professor Charles Dodgeson, better known the world over as Lewis Carroll, author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. That quote is from a letter he wrote to a child he had not met.  _

**There is something inherently captivating about a person you haven’t fully met yet. You haven’t been faced with their flaws and shortcomings. Instead, you can imagine only the best parts exist.**

_ There’s beauty in the flaws though. An imagined person lacks the complexity of a living breathing person. _

**But just like he said, an imaginary person can’t hurt you**

_ No, but they can’t truly love you like that either. _

**How are you so profound?**

_ Don’t you want to keep me imaginary, or do you really want to dig in? _

**We’re only on week one of this project, it’s a little early to throw the rules away just yet!**

_ And this anonymous method seems to be working out well so far… Fine, I’ll be nice and play by the rules _

**I’m sensing some rebellious spirit. I, on the other hand, am quite the rule-follower**

_ Wait a minute… rule follower… supportive friend… hard worker… I know what you are _

**What do you mean, “I know what you are”? Did you mean to write “who” instead of “what”?**

_ You’re a Hufflepuff! _

**Omg… you are correct. I didn’t expect to be called out like this. I don’t own any Hufflepuff gear though because I don’t really like the color yellow**

_ What a shame! I shall have to gift you with a Hufflepuff scarf then _

**A scarf?**

_ Indeed. Scarfs make excellent gifts! Also I don’t have to know anything like what size you wear _

**Those are actually really good reasons. I feel bad now that I can’t tell what Hogwarts House you are**

_ Mine is a little more subtle so I am not surprised you can’t guess it. I’m a Ravenclaw. I kind of fit the description of Gryffindor, but I love to read and also love puns _

**I am surrounded by people who believe the art of the pun is the highest form of humor. I myself have been known to throw in a few good ones, but nearly at the same rate as my father or my best friend. Now I have a reputation to uphold as someone who doesn’t like puns, simply out of spite (it also makes it that much more effective when I do drop a solid pun into a conversation, catches them off guard)**

_...are you sure you’re not Slytherin? _

**Both of my best friends are Gryffindors, so I think I’ve had to learn to balance them out.**

_ Thank you for indulging me in that nerdy sidetrack of a conversation _

**No problem! It certainly helped me understand you better! Also if they didn’t want us to talk about random things they should have given us better directions.**

_ Yep, you’re a Hufflepuff XD _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I definitely believe that Marinette has ADHD based on how she acts in the show and my own experience


	10. Anticipation

Friday morning had quickly become yet another round of Lila pushing Marinette’s buttons.

“Jagged’s event on Saturday is going to be incredible,” Lila said with a wink. “He’s got a big announcement coming.”

“Really?” Mylene squeaked.

“It really is his special announcement to share, I wouldn’t dare spoil it.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “But it has been a while since his last album.”

“Really?” Marinette asked. She knew she shouldn’t get involved, but she just couldn’t stop herself. “His last album was earlier this year.”

“That material was written a while ago though,” Lila covered. “New material is more exciting.”

Adrien put a hand on Marinette’s shoulder and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Can you picture her face tomorrow?”

Marinette jumped but recovered quickly. “Too bad I won’t be able to see it,” she said with an eye roll. 

“No one can see past a sea of reporters and cameras, trust me,” he smirked back. 

Marinette was momentarily reminded of her partner. Who knew sweet, angelic Adrien Agreste could rock the mischievous bad boy smirk?

“I don’t really want to think about the press too much,” she whispered. 

“Did you do more art for the new songs, Marinette?” Rose asked innocently. Lila stared at Rose; she hadn’t been a student when Marinette had done the cover art for the previous album and no one had really brought it up again.

Marinette froze. She hadn’t signed a formal NDA for the event, so technically she could tell the class, but she really didn’t want to see what Lila would do with something like that. Luckily, Adrien knew what was going on and rescued her from the awkward situation.

“No new art pieces from Marinette tomorrow, unless…?” He asked as he turned to face Marinette.

“Unless?” she asked back, confused.

“Didn’t you make him a new pair of sunglasses for tomorrow?” he said with a nudge of his elbow to her side.

“Oh! Um, I made a pair of sunglasses for Fang to match his, actually.”

“Ugh, that animal is back at the hotel and it is Ridiculous, Utterly Ridiculous,” Chloe muttered to no one in particular.

“Fang wears sunglasses?” Kim asked.

“Not for long,” Marinette laughed. “I’m lucky he likes me as much as he does. He sat still long enough for me to do the fitting last week.”

“Girl, you hung out with Jagged Stone last week and didn’t tell me?” Alya asked, torn between feeling impressed and left out.

“It was just a quick meeting,” Marinette shrugged. In reality, most of it was spent with Penny planning out the logistics of the press event and dive.

“Wanna all go together to see Jagged make this big announcement?” Nino asked the class as a whole.

“I have plans, but you guys should go, it will probably be fun!” Marinette immediately said.

“Of course I’ll be there to support Jagged,” Lila said with a sanctimonious air. 

Everyone in class began discussing meeting times and places. Marinette settled herself in her seat and pulled out her homework, reviewing it to make sure she hadn’t gotten overly distracted the night before by the long email conversation with her project partner.

“I won’t be able to be there, but I’m sure I’ll hear all about it,” he said with a wink.

“Penny mentioned they are doing a livestream on Jagged’s Instagram account, so you should be able to keep up to date.”

“Will you be tagged?” he asked as quietly as he could to avoid being overheard.

“Yes, Penny said she would make sure all credits were done correctly. She actually helped me check my account settings and such. I’ve actually switched from a personal account to a business account so I can see the analytics and such.”

“That’s so cool! I haven’t dug through that stuff on my account much, but I assume Nathalie has it set up the same way since she has access to it.”

Marinette made a mental note to never send anything to Adrien through Instagram’s direct messaging. She really didn’t want to let Nathalie read.. anything really.

\--------

Akuma attacks during the school day were annoying. Akuma attacks right at the end of the school day were the worst. Marinette had to leave her stuff in the classroom when she said she had to go to the bathroom, because it would be very obvious she was not planning to come back if she took her entire bag with her. So inevitably she had to go back to the classroom to retrieve her belongings, but that involved detransforming because Ladybug certainly wouldn’t be getting Marinette’s bag as a favor to her.

Today’s akuma had really given the impression that Hawkmoth was scraping the bottom of the barrel; the villain was named Popcorn and he was akumatized when he got frustrated at not being able to get little bits of popcorn out of his teeth. His weapon was endless floss. Marinette hadn’t even needed to call for her lucky charm. She and Cat Noir had managed to trick him into wrapping himself in his own floss.

Marinette shook her head as she power walked through the empty hallways of the school. Ms Bustier usually left the door to the classroom unlocked if students left belongings in there during akuma attacks. They were so common in their area that all normal rules had been thrown out in favor of keeping things as simple as possible in the face of supernatural battles on a near daily basis.

As she climbed the steps to her seat, she noticed that Adrien’s bag was also still here. Had he left it behind by accident? She was about to text him and ask if he wanted her to grab it when he burst into the room.

“Hey, you,” he gasped, out of breath for unknown reasons.

“Hey, yourself,” she answered, hoping desperately to seem calm and collected when she felt anything but.

“I, um, left my stuff here.” He rubbed his neck, a clear sign that he was nervous.

“So did I.”

“Cool beans.” 

Marinette looked down at her open purse, making eye contact with Tikki in the hopes that the kwami would give her a hint about what to do next. In doing so, she managed to miss Adrien’s blush at having said something as awkward as the phrase “cool beans”.

“Now that I can say this without anyone else around: good luck tomorrow.”

“Thanks… I’m going to need it if the anticipation doesn’t get to me first.”

\------

Marinette was quickly finding she really enjoyed the time she spent in the evenings sending emails back and forth with her project partner. 

**I can’t explain because of the whole “anonymous” thing, but I’m having a hard time not overthinking some things right now. I have a big day tomorrow, and then sitting down and talking to my… person tomorrow.**

_ Person? _

**Well we’ve never officially decided if we were dating, but we’re certainly not just like regular friends, so I don’t know how to describe them other than “person”.**

_ “Person” works pretty well, then. I know there are some big things going down in Paris tomorrow, so you’re in good company at least.  _

_ After how well we connected on the first topic they gave us on Monday, I’m looking forward to the next lesson. I don’t want to guess and be wrong but I’m excited to keep digging deeper, you know? _

**Totally! One of my besties spent like a month trying to find the label that fit her sexuality, and it was really intense. I assume that topic will come up in this project at some point, although I suspect we’ll build up to it.**

_ That totally makes sense! I agree. _

_ The best of luck to you this weekend. If you want to talk about any of it, please don’t hesitate to reach out <3 _

**Thanks, partner <3**


	11. Jump

Saturday dawned bright and early. Marinette woke up with a mixture of excitement and nerves as she reviewed her plans for the day. She was meeting up with Penny and Jagged Stone in front of the Eiffel Tower where they would do the announcement about the charity drive and the month of scheduled events to raise awareness for arts programs. Then after the press conference Jagged and Marinette would get in a limo to the airport and board the plane with their jump instructors. After the jump they would do another round of photos before calling it a day.

Marinette got herself dressed in the outfit she had discussed with Tikki. The black skinny jeans were easy to move in and the green tank top had a shimmer effect woven into the fabric that made it feel alive. But the real focal point of the outfit was the jacket. It looked like it was leather, but the synthetic material was much lighter (and had been easier to work with). A line of green paw prints made a diagonal line across the front from the left hip to the right shoulder. Across the back, the word “cataclysm” had been embroidered in a combination of several different shades and textures of thread, giving it a depth and complexity in an attempt to emulate the bubbling effect of Cat Noir’s power.

Feeling more prepared now that she was dressed, she headed downstairs to the living room where her mother was waiting with a hairbrush. They had discussed hairstyle options that would work best with the helmet she would be wearing, and decided that a French braid would be the best choice.

Marinette took a seat on the floor in front of where Sabine was seated on the couch. Her mother started by brushing her hair thoroughly, and Marinette found it incredibly soothing. Sabine hummed softly as she started to divide the front section of hair into three strands. Marinette took a deep breath and tried to set aside her nerves about the day and focus on enjoying this quiet moment.

The process didn’t take long, and Marinette silently passed the hairtie to Sabine as she finished off the braid. Done with the task at hand, Sabine leaned forward and wrapped her daughter in a hug.

“I am so proud of you darling, you know that?” she said softly into Marinette’s ear. “You aren’t hesitating to help when asked, even if it’s something scary. No one would have blamed you for turning down this request, but you’re doing it anyway.”

“Thanks, maman,” Marinette said back. “I’m happy I have the opportunity to do something that matters.”

“Everything you do to help others matters, dear. Not every helpful task will have media coverage like this one, but that doesn’t make it less important.”

“You’re right. This just feels like it’s bigger because it’s going to reach more people. I won’t meet all of the people who are going to see this, unlike doing a local project with my class or something.”

“That’s true. It’s certainly different!” Sabine smiled. “Go ahead and finish getting ready, we’re leaving soon.”

Marinette went back upstairs to finish her makeup and put on her boots. She wasn’t the kind of girl to wear heavy makeup regularly, but she knew she needed a more bold look for the cameras. She picked up her waterproof eyeliner and stationed herself in front of her mirror.

“Are you going to use that makeup tip you learned on Tiktok?” Tikki asked excitedly.

“Yep! The batwing trick really makes the winged eyeliner look easier with my eye shape,” Marinette answered. With a practiced flick, she lined her eyes in the popular style. A little lipstick and she was ready to conquer the day.

Marinette and Sabine stopped in the bakery before leaving. Her father couldn’t leave the bakery unattended, so she stopped to give him a hug before they headed to the Eiffel Tower.

“Imagine, my little girl is going to fly today!” he said as he scooped her up and spun her around.

“I think it’s going to be more like falling with style,” she giggled. 

“Either way, it’s sure to make a statement.” He gave her one last squeeze before setting her down. 

Sabine waved goodbye to the regulars who were picking up their usual orders. “I’ll be back soon, but you may want to tune in to the news today!” she said with a wink.

They walked briskly toward the Tower, and Marinette resisted the urge to check her phone and instead focus on enjoying the walk with her mother. The bakery hours meant it was pretty rare for the two of them to go out during the day, so she wanted to take advantage of the situation.

“Who knows about your involvement today?”

“I, uh, only told one person,” Marinette stuttered. “I didn’t want to sound like I was bragging since I didn’t have proof. Also Penny and Jagged wanted to keep it a surprise.”

“Why isn’t Alya here then?” Sabine asked, confused.

“She’s not the person I told.”

“Luka?”

Marinette winced at the assumption. “Nope, I, uh, didn’t tell him either.”

“Really?”

“I, well, I wasn’t sure how he’d take it.” She knew the excuse was lame. Honestly, she hadn’t thought about it until it was too late to be reasonable.

"So who did you tell?”

“Adrien,” Marinette said carefully, knowing her mother would throw her a look. “Ok, in my defense, it’s because one- he’s a celebrity and understand events like this, two- he is used to not revealing details to the public, and three- he knows Lila is a liar and that if I said anything to the class no one would have believed me.”

“I thought the Lila situation had calmed down after she admitted to lying to get you expelled?”

“She is more subtle about it but she’s still a problem.”

“At least this is your last year at that school. The chances of being in the same class as her for lycée are pretty low.”

“You’re right, but that also means my chances of being with Adrien and Alya and Nino are low too.”

“You’ll make time for them outside of class though, I’m quite sure. You know they are always welcome at our place no matter how their parents feel about you visiting them.” Sabine had distinct opinions about one Gabriel Agreste.

“Thank you, maman,” Marinette said as she gave her a hug. “I truly appreciate that.”

\-------

Marinette was waiting behind a curtain with her mother and Jagged while Penny paced back and forth on her phone. They were 5 minutes out from the start of the press event and while nothing major had gone wrong, there were all of the standard delays of any public appearance. Jagged was entirely focused on Fang, while Marinette bounced her leg and followed Penny with her eyes.

“Do you want to check your phone one last time before I hold your bag for you?” Sabine asked.

“Oh, yeah, thank you,” Marinette said, pulling out her phone and unlocking the screen.

_ AC: Hey girl! I’m bummed you’re not here with us. Almost everyone from our class has made it to the event. We’re pretty far back but Lila went to talk to someone about us moving up. _

**MDC: That’s so cool! I’m sure it’s going to be crazy!**

Marinette was internally panicking. What if Alya was mad she didn’t tell her beforehand? Would this make her believe Lila more? It was too late now…

_ AA: You’re going to be amazing! I’ll be watching whenever Father lets me take breaks! _

**MDC: Thanks! Alya said the rest of the class is here so we’ll see what they all think**

_ AA: Their opinions don’t matter. You’re one of the coolest people they’ll ever know!  _

Before Marinette could melt into a puddle at that text Sabine was taking her phone, Tikki was phasing from her purse into her jacket pocket, and Jagged was standing up to head on stage.

“Jagged will go out and explain the charity drive. Then he’ll talk about today’s stunt and introduce you. When he says your name, walk up next to him, smile, and wave. You shouldn’t have to say anything.” Penny explained as she guided Marinette to the side of the stage.

“Oh good, I hadn’t thought of anything good to say so that’s much easier to handle,” Marinette said with a sigh of relief. She wasn’t afraid of speaking to crowds as Ladybug, but she certainly didn’t want to do it more often than necessary.

There was a loud music cue, and Jagged ran out on stage to a roar from the fans. Fang trotted out happily beside him, decked out in his fancy new sunglasses. 

“Hello Paris!” Jagged shouted and the audience cheered, “I am delighted to announce that March will be a very exciting month for you. I have gotten together with a few of my friends for a worthy cause. The arts programs in schools are vital and should be expanded! Unfortunately, they are usually the first programs to go when there are budget cuts.” Jagged paused to allow the audience time to react. 

“We will be raising money for arts programs in school as well as extracurricular classes! To help spread the message, I wanted to really start this month out with something big, something rock and roll. A leap of faith, if you will! But I won’t be doing this alone! I met a young artist this year who really showed me how important it is to foster the art skills in students. Please welcome to the stage my good friend and amazing young artist, Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”

Marinette felt a nudge from Penny and she walked out into the blinding light, smiling and waving as she tried her best not to trip over her own two feet. Jagged gave her a hug and excitedly positioned her in front of the microphone. She threw a quick glance over to Penny, who was clearly not expecting Jagged to do exactly what he had done.

“I am so excited to be here with Jagged Stone in honor of this amazing cause,” she said, hoping desperately that she sounded calmer than she felt. “I am blessed to know so many amazing young artists, and I am proud to be counted among them.”

“Your talent knows no bounds!” Jagged threw his arm around her shoulders from the side. “You made my rocking sunglasses and a matching pair for Fang, and you created my favorite album cover before you even turned 14!”

Marinette blushed lightly under the praise and took note from the corner of her eye of the sea of camera flashes as everyone captured the moment. “And I have amazing art teachers to thank for teaching me!”

“Exactly!” Jagged stepped in front of the microphone again and Marinette gratefully took a step back. “We want to take the biggest step we can, and what bigger step can we take than jumping out of an airplane!”

With that, the crowd went ballistic. Reporters shouted questions and camera flashes went off in a flurry of blinding lights. Jagged took a bow and Marinette followed his lead off stage. Penny then stepped up and explained the timeline so the reporters could catch the main event.

It was only a moment later that Penny, Jagged, Fang, Marinette, and Sabine climbed into the waiting limousine. The silence felt deafening after the rush of the announcement.

“Well done, Marinette!” Jagged cheered. “You rocked that!”

“You did very well,” Penny said and she leaned forward to pat Marinette on the knee. “You definitely rolled with the punches.”

“Thanks, I wasn’t sure of what was happening so I just kind of went along with what made sense.”

“Your intuition was correct,” Sabine said. “Here’s your phone. There were a lot of notifications after you stepped on stage.”

Nervously, Marinette unlocked her phone screen to see that she had ten texts from Alya and one from Adrien.

_ AA: I got really lucky and caught your part! You look amazing! Is that a Cat Noir outfit? _

**MDC: I’m so glad you caught it! Yep, it’s a CN outfit all right. He doesn’t get as much love as Ladybug**

_ AA: I’m sure he would be honored to know you were representing him today =^.^= _

_ AC: GIRL _

_ AC: ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME _

_ AC: You could have mentioned that this was your plan for the day!! _

_ AC: Your outfit looks amazing! _

_ AC: What an amazing charity event _

_ AC: Wait wHAT _

_ AC: You’re jumping out of a plane? _

_ AC: for real?! _

_ AC: I know you can’t answer while you’re onstage _

_ AC: I NEED UPDATES ASAP _

**MDC: Yes, I am jumping out of a plane with Jagged. We’re in the limo now and we’re almost to the airport**

\-----------

Once they arrived there was a flurry of activity. Marinette and Jagged had to put on jumpsuits over their regular clothes and attach their gear with help from the instructors. There was a camera crew handling pictures, videos, and livestreaming to social media. Marinette had read all of the paperwork and guidelines in advance so she just had to listen to the reminders before they were climbing into the plane itself.

The takeoff was smooth and the ascent was quick. There wasn’t enough time for Marinette to truly panic. Besides, her time as Ladybug had prepared her for heights like this. She did still take comfort from the reassuring pats she could feel Tikki giving her. The kwami was snuggled into a special interior pocket in the cataclysm jacket that Marinette had designed with her in mind.

Jagged looked like a kid in a candy store. He was beyond excited for the jump and kept randomly singing lines from his songs. Marinette just smiled and tried not to bounce her leg too much. 

The first skydiver jumped out alone with a camera and a shout of excitement. Jagged and his instructor jumped second. Then it was Marinette’s turn.

“You got this! We’ll go on the count of three!” Her instructor had to shout for her to hear him. “One, two…”

“Three!” she screamed as they took the small step from the plane into thin air. The wind whipped around them and Marinette couldn’t hear a thing. She looked over and saw Jagged grinning from ear to ear. She did her best to wave to the camera on her right. After that she focused on the sensations of falling without a supersuit.

Marinette wasn’t aware of it at first, but she had started giggling and couldn’t stop. She had laughed on roller coasters as a child, but she didn’t realize that it would translate to skydiving. After months of stress from being Ladybug and the Guardian on top of her normal teen responsibilities, she had finally found a way to let go of every one of her troublesome thoughts and purely enjoy a single moment in time.

Before long the instructor pulled the parachute cord and their descent slowed down. She felt like it was only another moment before their feet touched the ground and it was all over. As soon as she was detached from her instructor she jogged over to Jagged and the camera crew.

“That was totally rock and roll!” Jagged was shouting.

“It really was!” Marinette shouted back. “It was amazing!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Please enjoy some mother/daughter bonding time! My mom used to braid my hair for special occasions and it was always a sweet moment  
> -I learned how to do my eyeliner a million times better watching videos on Tiktok  
> -I have personal experience with being put on the spot on stage with celebrities. I love working conventions but it has led to some very weird situations, and once a celeb is on stage with a mic all bets are off (no matter how much you want to control it while standing backstage with a clipboard XD )


	12. A Lot To Unpack

Marinette was sitting at the top of the Eiffel tower, kicking her legs back and forth while sitting right on the edge of the platform. It wasn’t a patrol night and there wasn’t an akuma, so there really wasn’t a reason for her to be sitting up here as Ladybug. Her parents had gone to bed early, as usual, and she just felt the need for some fresh air.

“Hey, did I miss a call?” Cat Noir asked as he landed beside her.

“No, you didn’t miss anything.”

He sat beside her and waited for her to explain.

“I just needed to get out of my room for a bit, you know?”

“I do know, that’s why I’m here!” he laughed.

“I’m having a big conversation tomorrow and I don’t feel ready.” She sighed before continuing. “I had a big project that was distracting and let me put off thinking about what I’m going to say, but now I feel like I don’t have enough time at all.”

“Obviously you can’t tell me who it is, but maybe just telling me what you can will help? I know I do better when I talk my thoughts out loud. Actually,” he said with another laugh, “it drives Plagg crazy.”

“I talk to Tikki about everything, but I don’t really know where to start on this.”

“Ok. I’ll ask questions and you can say as much or as little as you want.” He cleared his throat and held out an imaginary microphone. “Miss Bug, why is the big conversation happening tomorrow and not a different day?”

“Like I said, I had a big project. It wrapped up earlier today, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to dedicate my focus to this conversation before it was done.”

“That makes sense! Cool, on to question two: how is this person connected to you?”

“Yeah, that’s where things get sticky… Um, so it’s this guy. He’s not in my class but he’s only a little bit older than me. He kind of seemed to like me at first but like, only a little? And I got all flustered but I assumed it was just my imagination, right? But then he full on CONFESSED to loving me. And you’d think that I would know how to handle that because, well, it wasn’t the first time that I’ve heard that from someone, you know? Well obviously you know, you were the other person who’s confessed… Right, so I was like yeah sure civilian me should have a boyfriend because that’s what normal teenage girls do and I need to try and seem as normal as possible so no one suspects the whole Ladybug thing and my crush had just started dating someone else and I didn’t want to be lonely so I started spending more time with him and that was nice and all at first but lately I’m having a hard time connecting with him and things just aren’t meshing and I think it’s because there something wrong with me, like FUNDAMENTALLY wrong with me but like how do I say ‘Hi I’m trying to be a normal human can you please explain to me everything you feel and what I am supposed to feel in return?’ and there’s no good way to say that. What did you ask? Right, how is he connected to me! I… I can’t answer that.”

Cat Noir sat back and blinked a few times.

“This is exactly what I’m worried about! You can’t even figure out what I’m saying and you know me better than literally any other human on the planet!”

“Ok… there’s a lot to unpack there.” Cat took a deep breath and then locked eyes with Ladybug. “You are trying to find a human connection as a civilian because that helps you feel grounded and normal, partly to balance your superhero duties. Your crush is no longer an option because they are dating someone else and you, as an honorable person, would never interfere in a healthy relationship. This other guy has expressed his affections which feels compelling, but you’re overthinking the entire situation. Yes?”

“See, this is why you’re my best friend.” Ladybug focused on her breathing for a few moments while she processed what Cat had said. “You really hit the nail on the head with that.”

“Good!” He gave her a quick hug. 

“The other factor at play is that my school is doing lessons on personal relationships and such and I started thinking about how I interact with the people around me in a new light.”

“I know why it’s important for schools to cover things like that but there’s no way for it not to end up being super awkward.” He shook his head. “If it was up to my family I would never be allowed to question my identity. Self expression is discouraged.”

“Really? Oh, that’s definitely not healthy.”

“Yeah, I was raised with the ‘emotions are for peasants’ type of worldview for men.” He sounded nonchalant as he said this but his shoulders were hunched.

“Speaking of there being a lot of things to unpack in a statement… Is this why you’re always so vocal about feelings of love?” She specifically did not mention the object of his affection.

“Probably. I haven’t confronted that yet and I know I need to but I’m not looking forward to that little bit of self-introspection.” He pretended to shudder. “Besides, I’m not sure that delving into deep emotions is a good idea when Hawkmoth would love to be able to akumatize either one of us.”

Ladybug’s eyes opened so wide it was almost comical, except there was a gleam of fear in them. “Oh my god, what if he turns into an akuma tomorrow? He’s been one before. It could happen. Then I would have to escape him and then fight him and-”

“What time are you meeting him? I can be on high alert.”

“Really?” She tilted her head to the side. “You would stand ready to rescue me from a situation that was my own dumb fault?”

“In a heartbeat, my Lady.”

“Well get ready to judge me… we haven’t set a time. I just mentioned talking to him face to face and then we didn’t settle details. I am literally the worst.”

“Ok, here’s the plan: go home, set a time with him, retransform and send me the details.”

“Are you sure?”

He smirked. “I’m paw-sitive.”

\------------

_How was your big day?_

**It was absolutely incredible! Everything came together really well, and I am very happy with what I was able to accomplish!**

_That’s exactly what I wanted to hear! How do you feel about tomorrow?_

**That’s a completely different story, I’m afraid… I’m working up the guts to text them and set a time for everything. I feel guilty that I didn’t settle these plans earlier, so I don’t want to text and remind them that I should have texted earlier, so I keep putting it off, which makes the guilt worse, and, well, you get the idea.**

_I know where you’re coming from, but something tells me you are a lot braver than you think and you definitely have the strength to follow through on this <3 _

Marinette smiled. “I’m going to prove my partner right, Tikki. Besides, I need to give Cat Noir the details as well.”

“It certainly helps to have a good support system!” Tikki said with a smile. 

**MDC: Hey Luka**

**MDC: I’m so sorry, I realize we never actually set a time for tomorrow’s plans**

**MDC: Does 11:00 work for you at the park?**

_LC: Yes, 11 works for me_

_LC: I look forward to catching up with you_

Marinette couldn’t help but let out a nervous giggle. “Tikki, I’m glad we’re talking in person tomorrow, because I can’t tell his tone at all. Is he being sarcastic? Is he being sincere?”

“Your guess is as good as mine in this case.” Tikki shrugged. “Let’s send Cat the information.”

Marinette quickly transformed, sent Cat a text from her yo-yo to his baton, and detransformed. Tikki immediately made a beeline for the plate of cookies on Marinette’s desk, while Marinette got changed into her pajamas.

Once she was all snuggled into her bed, she checked her phone one last time as she plugged her phone in to charge and set her alarm.

_AA: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: You are our Everyday Ladybug, Marinette!_

Marinette couldn’t help but blush. Every time she thought she could let go of Adrien and move on, he went and said something like that!

**MDC: Thank you, that means the world to me (:i:)**


	13. Contact

Marinette was pacing circles in her room at 10:30 on Sunday morning. If she had her way, she would not be out of bed before noon on the weekends, but she had set 11 as her meeting time for Luka and she did not feel prepared at all.

“Tikki, what do I say to him?” Marinette punctuated her question with a flail of her arms. 

“What do you feel when you think of him?” Tikki asked.

“I’m flattered by his attention. I’m honored that he views me as someone special. I like the idea of being together more than actually being together? Is that even a thing?”

“What do you think?”

“I think I have so many responsibilities right now that being responsible for the emotional wellbeing of another person sounds like too much, but that’s exactly why I want someone to help take care of me emotionally, but it’s not fair to have a one-sided relationship?”

“Why are all of your statements coming out as questions?”

Marinette paused in her pacing. “I don’t want to be wrong. I want to be confident and know that I’m doing the right thing. And part of my brain says ‘date the nice civilian’ and part of me says ‘you don’t deserve his affection’ and another part says ‘focus on taking down Hawkmoth’.”

“That’s a lot of conflicting directions.”

“Exactly! I just want someone to wrap me in a hug that lasts like a half hour while I check out of my own brain and just be calm.”

“Do you want that someone to be Luka?” Tikki asked quietly.

\-------------

Marinette immediately spotted Luka when she walked through the gates of the park. He was sitting on a bench with a clear view of the Ladybug and Cat Noir statue and strumming his guitar. She took a moment to observe him from a distance while he was unaware of her presence.

His calm demeanor invited her to take a deep breath. The notes of his song rang out clearly in the cool air that hinted at spring weather. Marinette could picture herself listening to that music for hours if she didn’t have so many other responsibilities. Even as she watched him, her mind reminded her that this meeting was just another box to check on her to-do list. 

“Hey, Luka,” she called out as she walked closer.

His eyes lifted to meet hers, but his fingers didn’t leave his instrument. “Hello, Marinette,” he responded softly.

She sat down beside him on the bench, perched on the very edge with her hands in her lap. “Have you been waiting long?”

“No, I got here a little early to enjoy the weather and the view but not too early.”

Marinette took a look around. There were several families setting up picnics while a troop of small children played hide and seek. The overall vibe of the park was quite wholesome, and she was reminded once again of her duty to protect the citizens of Paris. If she could just defeat Hawkmoth, more days could feel like this.

Her brow furrowed a bit as she thought about her adversary, and Luka picked up on the expression right away. He reached a hand out and used his thumb to smooth over her forehead. 

“None of that today, Marinette,” he said with a soft smile. “You seem to have a lot on your mind, but let’s just enjoy this time together.”

“I like the sound of that,” she admitted, “but it’s a lot harder to do than it is to say.”

“You definitely had a big day yesterday. What made you say yes to skydiving with a rock star?”

“I didn’t really look at it that way. I just said yes to helping a friend with a charity project.” She frowned. “I didn’t do it for the thrill or for the attention.”

“I know you’re not the type who’s attracted to fame. You didn’t even stand up for yourself when your costume designs for Kitty Section were stolen.”

The last thing Marinette wanted to think about was the fight with Silencer. “I don’t know how much Juleka has told you, but there is a girl in our class named Lila who has these outlandish stories about all of the celebrities she knows. I never want to sound like her.”

“Juleka seems to like Lila a lot. I didn’t know you felt differently.” His tone stayed quiet, but his confusion was evident.

“Everything Lila says is a lie, but nearly everyone in class has bought into her ridiculous stories, including our teacher and principal. At this point, only Adrien and I know the truth.”

“How do you two know?”

“We were both present when Ladybug called Lila out for saying they were friends and that Lila was a hero.”

Luka took a moment to process that. “I trust Ladybug, and it seems you do too.”

“Yep, sure do!” Marinette laughed, trying to cover her nerves. She never liked talking about Ladybug with anyone, especially when they had been Miraculous holders. As she took a mental headcount of the heroes, she realized it was nearly half of her friends. She didn’t want to think too much about the complications that could cause.

“But your outfit yesterday seemed more Cat Noir than Ladybug,” he said with a wink.

“I don’t think Cat Noir receives the love he deserves,” she responded passionately. “Ladybug couldn’t carry on without him, and he takes care of her.” She looked fondly at the statue of her partner. “I don’t understand why people don’t see that.”

Luka studied her while she gazed at the statue. He delicately set his guitar to the side and moved closer to her on the bench. “You really care for him.”

“Of course I do! I-” Marinette suddenly realized that Luka was closer than before and her brain short-circuited. She stared at him with her eyes open wide and her breath caught in her throat.

“You feel things so deeply, Marinette,” Luka said, reaching out and taking her hands into his. “It’s one of the most beautiful things about you.”

Marinette was transfixed. Her hands felt so small in his, and his thumbs rubbed small circles on her skin. She didn’t lean in, but she didn’t lean back. She simply sat still and tried to process the physical and mental feelings washing over her. 

“Is… is there any other way to feel things?” she asked breathlessly.

“Not for an artist, no.”

“What about when you like the idea of something more than the thing itself?”

Luka tilted his head to the right. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, that’s the problem.” Marinette sighed. “In my head, there’s this perfect version of me that is never late and has perfect grades and has time to help everyone and knows what to say at all times. But here I am day after day stuck in constant ‘hot mess’ mode with an infinite to-do list.”

“You don’t see yourself the way others see you.” He let go of her right hand and slid his left arm around her shoulders to pull her into a hug. “Your passion is honorable but you’re going to burn yourself out.” He kept his arm wrapped around her with a firm pressure while his other hand stayed on hers.

The feeling of contact was overwhelming. Part of her reveled in it while the other part wanted to jump up and run. This conflict left her sitting frozen still, unsure of what to do. She started overthinking her reaction. Was she supposed to lean in? Was she supposed to do something with her hands? Should she jump up and stammer out some pathetic excuse and leave?

“Ha ha ha,” she laughed nervously. “You’re not the first person to say that, that’s for sure!”

“So when will you listen to everyone?”

Listening was the last thing on Marinette’s mind. Why had she told Tikki she wanted a hug earlier? She currently felt like Luka was an octopus and she was no longer aware of the rest of the park. While she wanted to move and put some distance between them, she also did not want to offend him. He clearly liked this. Why didn’t she?

Her phone suddenly let out a loud screech. Marinette had never been more thankful for an akuma alert in her life. She jumped up from the bench and whipped out her phone, reading the alert. “It’s a few blocks from here!”

“Let’s go to your house, it’s close enough and we don’t want to be outside.” Luka picked up his guitar and made sure it was secured to his back.

“Um, yeah, that’s a good idea all right.” Marinette was trying to figure out how she was going to duck out to transform when she heard someone land behind her.

“Why hello there, fancy seeing you out and about in the park on a day like this!” Cat Noir greeted her cheerfully. 

“Well, I live right over there,” she said as she pointed to the bakery. “What are you doing here if the akuma is a few blocks away?”

“I just wanted to check and make sure our resident daredevil was safe,” he said with a wink.

“Resident daredevil?”

“Yeah, you willingly jumped out of an airplane yesterday.”

“Oh, you saw that?” she asked, trying to sound like this was a normal conversation between friends while trying to figure out how to escape her partner so she could transform.

“All of Paris saw that, that was kind of the point.” Cat Noir laughed. “Anyway, head inside and you should be fine. Both of you,” he said with a glance toward Luka.

“Of course,” Luka responded, taking Marinette’s hand. “Stay safe out there.”

“Don’t I always?”

\-------------

By the time Marinette was done fighting the akuma (a child turning adults into vegetables. Was this Hawkmoth’s idea of a joke?), she had forgotten all about her morning with Luka. They had barely made it to the bakery when Luka got a call from his boss, asking him to come in and cover someone who was caught in the akuma attack. He had apologized to Marinette before leaving, allowing her the easy exit to get to the battle.

Marinette was laying on her stomach on her floor while Tikki snacked on her favorite macarons. She had tried to text Luka twenty times but still had no idea what she wanted to say.

“I just kept overthinking my reactions. How do people figure all of this stuff out?”

“Wut shtuff?” Tikki asked with her mouth full.

“Being together! The snuggling and the support and stuff! None of it makes any sense!” Marinette felt like she might start crying. 

There was a thud on her balcony and Tikki zipped into hiding. A moment later there was a knock on her trap door and a pair of bright green eyes shone through the glass. 

“Come in!” Marinette shouted without moving.

Cat Noir hesitantly lifted the door and climbed in.

“Um.... I came by to check on you and I’m thinking it was the right decision.” He made his way down to her bedroom floor and crouched beside her.

“Why?”

“You seemed really tense in the park this morning. Is everything ok with you and Luka?”

Marinette scrunched her face. “What do you think is happening between me and Luka?”

Cat Noir backed up to take a seat on her chaise lounge. “I, um, I thought you two were a thing? Together?”

“Truthfully? I don’t know what we are.” She flipped over onto her back. “I wish I could figure it out.”

“Do you like him?”

“Yes? No? I don’t know!” With that, she started to cry. “Why can’t I make up my stupid mind!”

“Woah, hey, calm down,” he pleaded. He reached his hands out before bringing them back uncertainly. “I can’t tell you how much I don’t want to see you akumatized.”

“That’s the worst part! I can’t let myself get emotional or freaking Hawkbutt will take it as an invitation to set up camp in my head!”

Cat Noir laughed. “Hawkbutt? Wow, you must be really upset to be using such foul language!”

Marinette glared at him. “I just want to check out of my head for like an hour.”

“Mood.”

They ended up sitting in silence and taking comfort in the presence of another person for twenty minutes.

“I need to go, but I hope this… helped.” He got up and started to leave.

“Can I get a hug before you go?” she asked timidly. 

“Of course!” he answered, trying not to sound too eager.

She stood up and they both awkwardly took a step toward each other. She leaned in first and wrapped her arms around his stomach. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and they stood like that for a few minutes.

“Goodnight, Marinette,” he said softly as they let go.

“Goodnight, Cat Noir.”

He left silently, and she crawled into her bed. Tikki flew up to settle on Marinette’s pillow.

_ Why don’t Luka’s hugs feel like Cat Noir’s? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Hello, welcome to Projection: The Fic  
> -I don't think Luka's a bad guy, but I don't think Luka and Marinette are a good match  
> -How did this Marichat sneak in?  
> -This fic has gotten over 100 kudos and 1,000 hits! I am so glad so many people are enjoying this fic! Thank you all <3


	14. Popular

“GIRL!” Alya screeched the second Marinette walked in the door of the classroom Monday morning.

“What?” Marinette asked, confused.

“How did you not tell everyone about the skydiving event before it happened? I would have exploded from a secret like that!”

“Oh, that,” Marinette shrugged. “They asked me not to talk about it so it would be a surprise, so I didn’t.”

“How long did you know?” Nino asked.

“Jagged called like two weeks ago.”

“Also you were wearing an outfit I’ve never seen before! Did you make it just for the event?” Alya gushed.

“No, I already had that outfit put together, I was just waiting for the right time to wear it.”

“I bet Cat Noir thought it looked pretty good,” Adrien said with a smile that was bordering on a smirk.

“Not like I know him well enough to ask,” she mumbled back.

Most of the class had arrived and clustered around Marinette’s seat. Chloe was the notable exception, letting out a huff of frustration as she sat down and was promptly ignored.

Lila did her best to avoid the group when she walked in, but she couldn’t hide from the enthusiasm for long. 

“Marinette, is Jagged going to write a song about you like he did for Lila?” Rose asked sweetly.

“Who knows?” Marinette said to dodge the question. 

“After you did the cover album for the Rock Giant album, he sent you an advance copy of the Croco Duo album prior to the release, correct?” Max asked after briefly reviewing his notes on his tablet. When Marinette stared at him with a mix of confusion and amazement, he continued. “You posted about it on Instagram.”

“Oh, yeah!” Marinette remembered vaguely which post he was referring to.

“And she always gets VIP tickets if he’s doing a show here,” Alya said proudly. “Best seats in the house!”

Marinette was trying not to shrink under all of the attention. She usually felt eclipsed as Marinette by her Ladybug side, so it felt weird to have people gushing about her civilian side directly in front of her.

“What other special events are happening this month for the charity?” Nathaniel asked

“Clara Nightingale has something lined for next weekend I believe? And the team behind the Ladybug & Cat Noir movie have been posting hints that they have something coming too.”

The excitement levels shot through the roof as the class began imagining how other celebrities would try to top Jagged’s opening act.

“All right class, let’s take our seats,” Ms Bustier encouraged. “I know everyone is very proud of our class president Marinette for stepping up this weekend. Because it’s Monday, we’ll start the day with our next project lesson. How is everyone feeling about their anonymous email partners?”

Most of the class muttered out a vaguely positive response, some more enthusiastic than others. Marinette nodded happily and noticed that Adrien had done the same.

“Wonderful. Last week we looked at love beyond the romantic type. The next topic is love languages, or how we express that love to others.”

“I thought French was the language of love?” Kim asked and a few of the girls snickered.

“That is a phrase that gets thrown around,” Ms Bustier sighed. “We are talking about expressions of love. There are five main types, and most people have two that are their preferred style.”

“This is not just about romantic love again, right?” Alix interrupted.

“Correct, this is about love across all types and relationships. The five love languages are quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, gifts, and physical touch.” Ms Bustier looked around and saw most of the students shifting uncomfortably in their seats. “Physical touch does not mean sex,” she said bluntly. “It covers all physical contact; it includes things like hugs and hand holding.”

Most of the class relaxed with the clarification. They were all still young, and their teacher discussing things like sex was not high on their list of things they wanted to deal with early on a Monday morning. 

“‘Gifts’ includes both purchasing things for people and making things. ‘Quality time’ is exactly what it sounds like, spending time with someone. ‘Words of affirmation] is communicating your feelings through words and phrases like ‘I love you’, and ‘acts of service’ is doing helpful things.”

“So one person might say ‘I love you’ and give a gift, when the other person wants to hug and watch a movie?” Mylene asked. 

“Exactly! Your discussions with your partner this week should be about identifying your love languages and understanding how the other people in your life express their love for you.”

\--------

Marinette was already planning what she would say in her email while eating lunch. She had popped home to eat, mainly to get a break from her classmates. It was nice to have them all impressed with her after everything Lila had done to ruin her reputation, but she couldn’t help but feel like it was all a bit empty because of that. They were talking to her because she had done something publicly cool, not because they had realized Lila had been lying to them all for months.

_ AA: So everyone thinks you’re super cool now  _

**MDC: It feels like they just transferred their hero worship of Lila over to me**

**MDC: It’s kind of uncomfortable honestly**

_ AA: I get that, it happens to me often enough _

_ AA: The people who matter already thought you were cool _

**MDC: Really? Who are you talking about lol**

_ AA: RUDE _

_ AA: Me. I think you’re cool _

“Tikki!” she shrieked. 

“Are you ok? Is it an akuma?” came the panicked response.

“Adrien thinks I’m cool!” Marinette barely squeaked out.

Tikki just shook her head.

_ AA: Anyway, if you need me to help run interference you just say the word _

**MDC: I appreciate that! I’ll let you know**

**MDC: Let’s see how the afternoon goes before I have to call for backup**

_ AA: Sounds like a plan =^.^= _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter because I got wrapped up in recording like twenty tiktoks in my new Plagg cosplay (tiktok username is @itskatienail and I mostly do Miraculous cosplay content)


	15. Lesson Two

_ Ok, I’m trying not to die of curiosity here because you certainly aren’t required to tell me or anything, but how did the conversation go with your person yesterday?! _

Marinette shook her head as she read the latest email from her anonymous project partner. How was she supposed to explain how it went if she didn’t even know herself?

“Tikki, how honest should I be in these emails?” she asked. “I don’t want to give anything problematic away but I don’t have anyone other than you that I can really talk to about this.”

“I’ll check the emails before you send them just in case, but as long as you’re careful not to mention Luka you should be ok to just let it all out.”

“Thanks. Settle in, I get the feeling this will be a long conversation.”

**Not awful, I guess? We chatted for a while about some people we know and got interrupted by the akuma attack. Is it bad that I was almost grateful to have an excuse to stop the conversation though?**

_ Did you cause the akuma? _

**No**

_ Then don’t feel guilty about it. If you had intentionally caused an akuma that would be a different story! What was it that made you feel so uncomfortable that you wanted to escape? _

**There was a lot of physical contact. Nothing inappropriate! Just like holding my hands and an arm around my shoulder but it somehow felt… suffocating.**

_ Do you usually dislike it when people touch you? I know my dad hates hugs for the most part. _

**No, usually I love stuff like hugs! I guess it’s how well I know the person? Like family or a friend I’ve known for ages is totally fine. Heck, my best friend can stretch across my lap and it’s actually kind of nice. But with this person, it just felt like there was a lot that was out of my control.**

_ Why didn’t you ask them to stop? I assume they are a good person and understand consent. _

**I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. They were clearly enjoying it and I felt guilty because I thought I should be enjoying it too.**

_ STOP. Full stop right there. You are not responsible for making someone else feel good at your own expense. If they care, they will stop whatever is making you uncomfortable.  _

**It’s easy to say that but like I’ve said before, I struggle with turning people down for anything. Besides, when I’m sitting home alone I desperately want to snuggle and feel close to someone, so I thought that maybe I just needed to get used to it.**

_ Do you have anyone else you feel comfortable with on that level to compare it to? _

**I do, and it really doesn’t feel the same? Like with that friend it feels so natural I don’t even question it. With my person my brain kicks into high gear and is trying to analyze everything all at once.**

_ I’m going to go out on a limb here and say you need to take a break from this person. You’ve said you don’t feel compelled to talk to them, and now you’re saying spending time with them makes you anxious. Please promise you will take time and space for yourself <3 _

**I’ll see what I can do. That definitely needs to be an in person conversation and free time is not something I have lying around lol**

_ I’ll take that for now and bug you later if I need to. Now, are we ready to tackle this week’s topic? _

**Sure! The next stage in the love discussion: love languages and how we express our love and prefer to receive it. There were 5 of them, yes?**

_ Five is correct! Gifts, quality time, acts of service, words of affirmation, and physical touch. _

**Wow, someone took good notes today!**

_ This stuff seems like the most important stuff to learn in my life _

**That’s fair. I’ve been trying to think through what I do for the people in my life that I care about, and I have to be honest, I’ve done all of them?**

_ I don’t think this is saying you ONLY do one or two of them, I think it’s the ones you feel drawn to and do the most. _

**Ok, that makes sense. I think a big one for me is Gifts. I love to make gifts by hand for friends and family! I have a little notebook that I write ideas down for gifts so that when their birthday or a holiday rolls around I don’t have to figure it out from scratch. Also I’m going to include cooking/baking as gifts because I definitely feed the people I care about.**

_ Gosh, free food? I want to be your friend now too! XD I know people who seem to fit the type as gift givers. I’ve only ever handmade a gift once, but it was for a friend who had made me something so I wanted to balance that out. _

**That’s really sweet! That shows that you were truly paying attention to that person!**

_ Thanks! So I think my big one is Words of Affirmation. I need that verbal confirmation pretty regularly. Compliments are rare in my family, so when I do get a compliment it’s the best feeling ever. I like to tell people how I feel pretty often, and that includes friends. “Tell me you love me” sounds kind of desperate though. _

**I don’t think it sounds desperate if you don’t ask people to pump up your ego constantly. I’ve seen people who fish for compliments and that’s certainly not pretty, but it’s nice to hear someone loves you because it feels concrete when it’s literally spelled out.**

_...was that a pun?! _

**MOVING ON**

_ But pun compliments are the truest expression on love! _

**Yeah ok Cat Noir**

Marinette took a break from the steady volley of emails back and forth to go to the bathroom and refill her tea. Tikki did not mention the delay in the next email response from the anonymous partner after she called him Cat Noir; no need to reveal her suspicions when Marinette didn’t have the same pieces of the puzzle that the kwami did.

_ How well do you know Cat Noir? _

**I don’t, but I’ve seen a lot of videos**

_ Ok, getting back on track: you like to give people things and I like words. Ready to dig deeper and figure out a second one? _

**Yeah, let’s keep this ball rolling! Like I said, I’ve definitely done all of them, but I guess the other big one for me is Acts of Service. I will bend over backwards to help a friend. I did a big favor for someone a few days ago, and most people who know me weren’t surprised at all because I do stuff like that all the time. I have also done stuff to help people that they never even found out about.**

_ How INTRIGUING! You seem to be a very generous person, so gifts and favors go hand in hand for that _

**If someone volunteers to help me get something done, I have to resist the urge to thank them a million times over. I don’t want to be annoying.**

_ As someone who needs words like that, consider this my official application to be your helper! _

**Hahaha, I will keep that offer in mind! What do you think your other language is?**

_ That’s really tough... You seem to have picked up on this already but my home life is not the greatest. I think the thing I crave the most is physical touch. According to the internet, I’m a bit touch starved. I want it all- hugs, snuggles, forehead kisses, hand holding, the works. I get more from my friends than I do from my family, but there’s no good way to roll up to a friend and be like “hey can you just crush me with your body for a little bit so I feel like you care?” Also I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable with this since we literally just wrapped up a discussion about how someone made you feel weird via touch. _

**Don’t worry about me, it’s not like you’re showing up at my house and crushing me in a hug when I don’t want it! Touch starvation is hard to handle. I don’t struggle with it too often but I have experienced the desire for contact before. Not to try and pry into your identity, but I’m guessing you’re a guy. Female friends tend to have more casual physical contact in their friendships, and guys don’t often get as much physical affection in their families. No need to confirm or deny, just a thought I had.**

_ Thank you for making me feel less crazy about feeling like this! So should I just like start hugging all of my friends (both male and female) more often? Or would that be weird? _

**I think it would be less weird since we’re all going through these lessons together right now. Just be honest and say, “Hey, can I get some extra hugs?” and if they say no, don’t push it**

_ How did I get so lucky and end up with the best partner on the planet?! _

**I’m over here asking myself the same question!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SERIOUS NOTE: Do not let someone else make you uncomfortable and push your boundaries. You are allowed to revoke your consent at any time. You do not need to force yourself to enjoy things just because society says you should like it. Your feelings and boundaries are valid <3


	16. Favor

Marinette had almost made it to lunch. Tuesdays weren’t usually this hard; for whatever reasons Tuesdays were the least common day for akumas, and there wasn’t too much homework this early in the week. However, Lila was in rare form and Marinette was trying desperately not to completely lose it.

She really thought there would be a break after the skydiving event. The rest of the class had continued to treat Marinette with a little more hero worship than she would have preferred, and this had Lila seething with anger. Everyone had been present for Marinette’s big story, so Lila couldn’t twist it to be about her.

Adrien had sensed that Marinette was struggling under Lila’s scrutiny, even as the rest of class begged for the two girls to join forces and truly become the unstoppable world-saving team they all believed they could be. He was desperately trying to find a way to cheer Marinette up when he got a well-timed text message.

“Hey Marinette, are you doing anything after school today?” he asked casually, turning in his seat to look at her.

“Um, not really, just homework, why?” she asked. In her head she was doing a victory dance over managing to spit out a coherent answer with no prep.

“Kagami wants to hang out since we were supposed to have fencing but it got cancelled.”

“You two will have fun together!” Marinette cheered, hiding her confusion. Why would he ask if she was available if Kagami wanted to go on a date with him?

“She wanted me to ask if you could come with us.”

Marinette froze. Kagami… wanted her… to join them for their date?

“Are you sure?” she asked to buy herself some processing time.

“Totally, look,” he answered and showed Marinette his phone. Sure enough, Kagami’s text asked if both he and Marinette were free to hang out.

“Um, yeah, sure, I’d love to hang out. Anything particular in mind?”

“Let me ask her,” he said and immediately started typing.

Alya had missed the exchange as she was wrapped up in listening to Lila talking about her email partner. Marinette was trying to actively ignore that conversation, but she had picked up enough to know Lila was cooing over her “poor blonde rich partner who doesn’t feel loved by their dad.” Marinette made the decision right then and there that Adrien needed some extra attention and support if his project partner really was Lila.

“She says there’s something at the Louvre that she wanted your opinion on, if that’s cool with you?”

Marinette shook her head as she refocused on what Adrien was saying. “My opinion? Really?”

“Yeah, she says you always have something interesting to say because you have an artist’s eye.” Adrien gave her a soft smile as he said this and Marinette could not control the wild blush that spread rapidly across her cheeks. 

“Well then I look forward to whatever she wants me to see!” Marinette said, praying Adrien wouldn’t notice how much her hands were shaking as she packed up her notes.

Everyone else was packing up their belongings and headed to lunch. Marinette had forgotten to bring food or lunch money, so she was planning to pop home on the break. Alya was still glued to Lila’s side, and Nino was trailing along behind the pair. Adrien waited for Marinette to stand up before walking with her to the door. They walked together through the school and stopped where his driver was waiting to take him home. Adrien hesitated for a moment, and Marinette noticed how awkward he suddenly seemed.

“Hey, do you mind if I ask you for a super quick favor?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Of course! I mean, not at all! I mean, please ask!” she stuttered.

“Can I get a quick hug? I don’t know how comfortable you are with contact, but after yesterday’s lesson I’m realizing I might need more contact than I’m currently getting, and-”

Before he could finish his rambling sentence, Marinette lurched forward and threw her arms around him. He laughed and hugged her back, giving her a quick squeeze before stepping back.

“Thanks,” he said, sounding almost breathless. 

“Anytime you need a hug, I’ve got you covered,” she said firmly. 

The bright smile he gave her in response rivaled the sun bursting through the clouds after a summer storm. He slid into the waiting car and she walked home, trying desperately not to start skipping with joy.

She made it into the kitchen without running into her mother; she knew she needed some time to process what just happened without any teasing, no matter how good-natured it was.

Tikki flew out as soon as she confirmed that the coast was clear and watched as Marinette danced around the kitchen to prep her lunch. She knew that the hug meant as much to Adrien as it did to Marinette, and Tikki wanted to let Marinette enjoy this moment of pure happiness for as long as she could. She had been having a hard time listening to Lila’s boastful claims all day from within Marinette’s purse.

Marinette plugged her phone in to charge while she ate her ham, apple, and brie sandwich. Tikki sat next to the phone as she enjoyed her lunchtime cookie, and she squeaked when a text notification popped up on the screen.

“You have a text from Penny! The fundraiser just hit the first milestone of 10,000 euros!”

“That’s amazing! Wow, we’re only a few days in!” Marinette exclaimed, setting down her sandwich and picking up her phone to text her congratulations to Penny to pass along to Jagged.

“Are you doing anything else to help, or was the skydiving it?” Tikki asked.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to Cat about maybe doing something as Ladybug,” she mused. “We don’t make a lot of appearances, but this fits with our mission and we can talk about using art to express emotions in a healthy way.”

“I think that’s a great idea!”

Marinette finished her sandwich and cleaned up her dishes. Tikki sat on her shoulder as she put everything away, enjoying the moment of peace.

“So, do you think it’s a little weird that Kagami asked for me to join them this afternoon?”

“We know she wants to be friends with you, and you’ve spent time with them together before,” Tikki pointed out.

“Yeah, but I don’t want them to feel like I’m intruding on their time or anything. I know they don’t get much free time because of their parents.”

“It’s not intruding if they ask you to join them.”

“I guess you’re right,” Marinette agreed. “I wonder what Kagami wants to show me…”


	17. Potential

“I appreciate that you agreed to join us,” Kagami said formally as Adrien and Marinette met her by the glass pyramid. “I wasn’t sure if you would be free with how busy your schedule is.”

“I’m always willing to make time for my friends!” Marinette responded cheerfully. She always forgot just how stilted conversations with Kagami started. She knew the girl would relax with a little time, but the initial greeting stage always came across a bit cold.

“I’m just glad M D’Argencourt told us directly that fencing was cancelled instead of going above our heads. For once we don’t have to sneak around to hang out together!” Adrien was so excited he was practically bouncing.

“You are correct, unsupervised time is hard to come by. If today hadn’t worked out, I was planning to ask Marinette to join me here on Saturday.” Kagami explained.

“Really?” Marinette asked. 

“Yes. There is a special exhibit right now and I wanted to ask you about a potential art project stemming from the core concept.”

“Marinette is definitely the right person to ask about stuff like that!” Adrien gushed.

“Adrien, I will be interested to hear your opinion as well for contrast.” Kagami turned to him as she addressed him, and Marinette realized Kagami had not given Adrien any kind of physical greeting.

“Well then, what are we waiting for?” Marinette asked, not wanting to get in the way of what still looked like a potential date for the other two.

“Excellent. Follow me this way.” Kagami started walking toward the nearest entrance without waiting to see if Marinette and Adrien were following. They walked behind her, and Adrien swung his hands a little more than necessary. If Marinette didn’t know any better, she would think he was shaking out nerves.

They showed their student IDs and were allowed in. Kagami continued to lead the way with zero hesitation, but after a few minutes she turned to Marinette.

“I saw the footage of you skydiving with Jagged Stone.”

“Oh, you did?”

“Yes. You were quite brave, Marinette.” Kagami gave a small smile, and Marinette knew that was a huge gesture for her.

“Oh, it was nothing. He asked and I-”

“Very few people would have agreed to a request like that for any reason. You also made it look far more enjoyable than I would have,” Kagami said with a small nod.

“Yeah, you looked like you were having a blast!” Adrien said, trying not to shout and get himself in trouble.

“It was more fun than I expected, that’s for sure.” Marinette smiled as she remembered the feeling. “I was able to set aside everything else that’s going on in my life, which is a big deal for me.”

“I am proud to call someone of your bravery and integrity my friend,” Kagami said. While the words were just as formal as everything she had said before, the tone was warmer and friendlier.

“Thank you,” Marinette said simply. At this point, she was walking alongside Kagami and made sure she made direct eye contact before saying, “I am proud to call you my friend too.”

“And I think you both are amazing!” Adrien said from behind the pair.

\--------

“Here we are, “The Advent of the Artist” exhibit.” Kagami said as they entered the correct room.

“I haven’t seen this exhibit yet, what’s the premise?” Marinette asked. 

“It’s European Renaissance focused, pairing famous works of art with pieces of corresponding literature,” Kagami explained.

“How cool!” Adrien said, turning to try and look at everything all at once.

“What specifically did you want to focus on?” Marinette asked.

“I do not have any drawing or painting skills, but I am drawn to words. I wanted to ask about the relationship between visual art and the written word.”

“I’m all ears!” Marinette said excitedly as she sat down on a bench and Kagami took a seat next to her. 

Adrien was trying to listen to the conversation while also walking around the room, looking at the art and reading the passages, and also observing the other people taking in the exhibit. The result was a sporadic pattern as he bounced from spot to spot in the main room.

“I know there isn’t a single rule, but what comes first more often? Does a writer describe a place or an event and then the artist creates the image, or does an artist capture a moment and a writer puts it into words?”

“Both happen fairly often,” Marinette said, grateful that the question was something she felt qualified to answer. “A lot of the Renaissance art was based on the Christian Bible to start, so the artists worked from those written words, but later the movement shifted and other stories came into play. In the modern era, the two disciplines do hand in hand.”

Kagami was listening to Marinette’s explanation with her undivided attention, while Adrien was nodding along as he continued to flit about the room. 

“Adrien! Would you please choose one spot and stick to it!” Kagami exclaimed. She stayed quiet so as not to bother the other museum guests, but her tone carried the air of authority that had been drilled in by her mother. Adrien immediately straightened up and hastened to sit on the other side of Marinette without even being fully aware of his actions. 

“Please continue,” Kagami prompted when Marinette went silent, watching the facial expressions exchanged between the people sitting on either side of her.

“Right, so now it depends on the project but it goes both ways. Our friends Marc and Nathaniel are partners on a comic book. Nathaniel does the art and Marc handles the writing. Sometimes Marc will write a scene and Nathaniel will jump in with visuals based on what Marc wrote, and sometime Nathaniel will draw something that will inspire Marc to add a plot point.”

“I see.” Kagami thought it over for a moment, and Marinette took the time to study her. They didn’t get the opportunity to spend time together often, and this was the first time she had been with both Adrien and Kagami together since… well, since Master Fu left. Marinette respected Kagami a lot after how the battle had gone, and she had made peace with the budding relationship between the two fencers, but that relationship felt very different now.

“I am interested in developing my writing skills, so it may be in my best interests to find an art partner and see if we can collaborate.”

“That’s an amazing idea! If you find a student in one of your classes, you may be able to count your work as class credit.” Marinette knew that Kagami liked efficient solutions, and getting a good grade for something she wanted to do anyway would be exactly her style.

“You’re totally right Marinette! You really have this kind of stuff figured out,” Adrien said, leaning closer. Marinette was reminded of the evenings when Cat Noir would rest his chin on her shoulder, but she couldn’t imagine Adrien would be as comfortable with her. 

“Yes, that is exactly the kind of solution I expected from you, which is why I came to you for assistance.” Kagami seemed pleased, and Marinette was thrilled to know that she had lived up to the other girl’s expectations. “In the meantime, do you have any writing practice recommendations?”

“This may sound a bit… out of your comfort zone,” Marinette started, “but have you ever considered fan fiction?” She heard a faint intake of air from Adrien and did her best to ignore it.

“I have not looked at it, as I assumed it was self-indulgent rambling from unoriginal people on the internet.”

“Oh no! No not at all!” Adrien exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. “There are pieces of fan fiction I love more than traditional books! People pour their hearts and souls into their writings for free just for other people to enjoy!”

Marinette couldn’t help but stare at the blond boy who was now so animated. She would not have guessed that Adrien Agreste was into fan fiction.

“Do you write any, Adrien?” Kagami asked, sounding amused.

His first reaction was to flush bright red. He stared at the girls, looking back and forth at them as he opened and closed his mouth a few times. “I, um, I, well-”

“That’s enough of an answer for me. I won’t ask for a username as you clearly do not wish to reveal it, but I will consider it as an option for myself.” Kagami said, not quite managing to hide her smirk and Adrien continued to stammer.

“There’s something comforting in writing for characters you are already familiar with,” Marinette explained. “When you start from scratch with a story and build your own characters it can be a bit intimidating.”

“Do you also write fan fiction?” Kagami asked. 

“No, I’m not much of a writer. I have designed some fashion based on tv shows and movies as practice, which technically falls into the fanart category.” She shrugged. “But most of the art in this room is just Biblical fanart so I refuse to feel any shame.”

Adrien started laughing and drawing attention from the other patrons. “Biblical fanart! Marinette, where do you come up with this stuff?”

“It’s something my grandmother said when she brought me here a few years ago. I can’t take credit for it.”

“Kagami, you have GOT to meet her grandmother. She travels the world and rides a motorcycle! She’s like the coolest grandmother EVER!” Adrien was standing directly in front of the girls now, and Marinette was trying not to stare. He liked her grandmother?

“She sounds like a very interesting person. I hope to meet her someday,” Kagami said as she stood up. “While we’re here, should we take a look at the rest of the exhibit?”

“Absolutely!” Marinette said, popping to her feet. “Lead the way!”

\-----------

They ended up spending about an hour going through and looking at the pieces on display in the special exhibit. At that point, both Kagami and Adrien couldn’t pretend they were still at fencing practice, and they knew they needed to head home. When they reached the exit, Kagami waved to both Marinette and Adrien.

“I hope to spend time with you both soon. This was both informative and enjoyable.”

“Thank you for asking me to join! I look forward to doing something like this again soon,” Marinette responded, unconsciously matching Kagami’s formal closure.

“It was so great to hang out with you both!” Adrien waved at Kagami but continued to walk alongside Marinette as she was walking in the same direction that he was.

They walked in silence for just a few moments before they reached Adrien’s car and saw the Gorilla waiting for him.

“Thanks for coming, Marinette,” Adrien said.

“Thanks for asking me!” she responded.

He opened his arms and took a step forward, and she realized he wanted a hug goodbye. She wondered why he hadn’t hugged Kagami goodbye, but she decided that was not a conversation to have standing in front of his bodyguard. She stepped up and gave him a quick squeeze.

“See you tomorrow!” she said as she stepped back.

“You too!” he said with a smile as he got in and closed the door.

Marinette walked home, barely noticing the light rain that was coming down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I think Kagami views words as both a form of self expression and as a weapon  
> -I really love the Louvre and had a blast the last time I was there, even if it did include mice running under my chair at the McDonalds in the Louvre food court  
> -My grandmother is also a world traveler that I call Nonna (one of the many things I have in common with Marinette)  
> -watch me defend fanart and fanfic in my own fanfic XD


	18. Macarons

_ I literally cannot thank you enough, anonymous partner! I asked a friend for a hug and I have now gotten SEVERAL and I feel like I could take over the entire world _

**A few hugs is all it took to turn you into Hawkmoth? Maybe I should be more careful with my advice lol**

_ Hawkmoth WISHES he was me _

**I had someone tell me they respect my opinion today so I also feel very loved. Good vibes all around!**

\------------

Marinette had made it to class with time to spare Wednesday morning, which was no small feat. She had felt so energized after the museum that she had made macarons for the class, and she was currently handing them out as people arrived. Well, most people- Lila said she couldn’t possibly have something so sweet first thing in the morning. Adrien and Nino were happily munching on their treats when Alya burst in through the door.

“Which one of you dorks is also a physical touch love language person?” she asked, looking directly into the eyes of Marinette, Adrien, and Nino. 

“Why do you ask?” Nino asked hesitantly.

“All this talk has me positively DYING to have a human body just crush me. Like someone needs to come be a rock and squash the life out of me.” She flopped into her seat and looked over at her best friend. “I don’t know if Marinette’s tiny body can cut it either.”

“Hey!” Marinette shouted, playfully offended. “This tiny body gives great hugs, thank you very much.”

“Can confirm,” Adrien said, shooting Marinette a smile. “I’m also a physical touch person, so I get it. Nino, do you mind if I go squish your girlfriend?”

“Be my guest,” Nino said with a laugh. “She knows I’m not super into prolonged contact and that’s ok.”

“Really?” Marinette asked Nino, trying to stay focused on something other than Adrien Agreste saying she gave good hugs.

“Yeah, I get all claustrophobic pretty quick.” He shuddered a little. “I canNOT handle feeling trapped in any way.”

“Oh yeah, that’s the ticket,” Alya said happily. Marinette and Nino looked over to find Adrien sitting on Alya’s lap.

“And I want a pony for Christmas,” Adrien said, making light of the fact that he looked like a child perched on Alya’s lap, even as he towered over her.

Everyone in class laughed, and Ms Bustier walked in with a shake of her head.

“I’m so glad you’re all learning your boundaries, but I’m afraid I need everyone sitting in their own seats for class.”

“Would you like a macaron, Ms Bustier?” Marinette offered while Adrien went back to his seat.

“Yes, thank you Marinette. Any particular occasion?”

“I figured out that my languages are gift giving and acts of service, and giving people food really fulfills both of those.” Marinette tried not to blush too hard, but she couldn’t help it.

“What a lovely way to show how much you care. I’m so happy to see you are really applying what you are learning on this project!”

\-------------

_ Ok, since you are a gift giver, what’s the best gift you’ve ever given? _

**Well that’s an impossible question! That’s like asking you who gave you the best ever hug**

_ That’s easy, the best ever hug was from Ladybug. SO what was the best gift? _

“Ok, Tikki, I know this person goes to my school because that’s how the project is set up and all but it’s a little weird to know for a fact that I have touched this mystery person and that even if they know my name is Marinette they don’t know they’ve hugged me for sure because they don’t know I’m Ladybug!” Marinette threw her tablet down on the couch next to her. She had checked her email on her lunch break on a whim, and didn’t expect to be immediately sucked into a conversation.

“That is a lot of layers, that’s for sure!” Tikki said, enjoying the last macaron from Marinette’s batch from the night before. 

**Ok fine, I’ll play along. I made a gift for a friend and didn’t remember to sign the package (which is not unusual for me) and they loved it so much they thought it was from their dad!**

_ And you didn’t tell them it was actually from you? _

**They were so happy to think their dad got it for them, so I decided their gift was that happiness.**

_...it’s official. You’re not real. There is no way you are a real person because no person is that nice. _

**I certainly am real, and I am not always that nice. I have definitely had some mean moments that I am not proud of in the least.**

_ Fine, I guess you can’t help but exist XD _

\------------

Marinette didn’t even make it back to school after lunch. In fact, she didn’t even make it across the street before the akuma in the park got her attention. The akuma was an artist who ran out of white paint and couldn’t afford to buy more and had decided to repaint the world around them instead. Usually, an akuma with a goal like that would be straightforward and easy to defeat, but it was joined by an amuk and Ladybug and Cat Noir were forced to spend four hours battling the pair.

“Hawkmoth knows we don’t have our backup heroes anymore,” Ladybug panted before she ducked into an alleyway to recharge. “I’m afraid we’re going to see more battles like this.”

“Mayura also suddenly seems stronger than she did before,” Cat Noir responded, also sounding exhausted at the thought.

It only took them another 45 minutes to wrap the battle after that, and Marinette was beyond grateful to final fistbump her partner and head home. The school day was long over, and even though she knew she had homework to do, she climbed straight into her bed and fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I will defend platonic hugs until the day I die. (I used to get lots of hugs at work and now that corona shut it down I miss getting crushed by gay guys a foot taller than me. It's a very specific problem)  
> -Also I have to actively try to not act like Hawkmoth doesn't exist in this fic. I've said it before and I'll say it again, akuma battles are my biggest struggle


	19. Early

Marinette woke up Thursday morning feeling incredibly groggy. She hadn’t expected to sleep as solidly as she did, although that shouldn’t have surprised her at this point. She searched through her nest of blankets until she found her phone, which was at 20% battery and had several notifications waiting for her. That wasn’t the worst part though.

“5:15? In the morning? Why does 5:15 even exist?” she mumbled. She was, sadly, very awake. She was feeling hungry, and she also needed to visit the bathroom. The fact of the matter was apparent - Marinette was officially awake.

“This is the actual worst,” she grumbled as she climbed down out of her bed and started to putter around her room. Her goal was to wait another ten minutes or so to be certain that her parents were both down in the bakery. She loved them, but she didn’t want to deal with them asking if she was feeling ok when she knew her problem was just Hawkmoth.

Left alone with no distractions, her thoughts turned to the villain. He had backed off a little initially, but he seemed to be ramping back up. Without Master Fu to turn to, she was at a loss. Should she find out Cat Noir’s identity, because as the Guardian she should know who held the Miraculous? Should she be picking new holders for backup? Should she be training people better instead of just throwing them into fights when she was desperate? 

What was Mayura’s angle? She had seemed frail, but her efforts had also increased recently. Marinette didn’t think she and Cat Noir could hold the evil pair off on their own.

“Is it morning?” Tikki asked sleepily.

“Barely,” Marinette mumbled back, refusing to be more coherent than necessary so early in the morning. 

She started reading through her texts, wondering what could have been so interesting while she was out of touch.

_ AC: girl do you have the answers to the science homework _

_ NL: yo can you check over my essay tmrw _

_ LC: Are you available to chat tonight? _

_ LC: Maybe tomorrow then? _

_ AA: Did you see that they announced a new edition of Ultimate Mecha Strike?! _

Marinette shook her head at the last text.

**MDC: Of course I know about the new UMS, my dad put the preorder in within the first 2 hours lol**

_ AA: That’s right, your family really enjoys the game! _

**MDC: Why are you awake this early?!**

_ AA: I’m at a photoshoot. What are you doing awake this early, Sleeping Beauty? _

“Marinette, please breath,” Tikki said, concerned that the girl was going to explode right then and there.

**MDC: Honestly I don’t even know and I am not happy about it**

**MDC: Will you be at school today or is it a long shoot?**

_ AA: I’ll be there, that’s why it’s so early. Speaking of which, my break is over and I gotta focus to be done on time. See you soon! _

Marinette appreciated that he had taken the time to explain why he wasn’t going to be able to keep answering. She switched conversations to address Alya

**MDC: No, I was actually hoping you would have the science answers**

She glanced over at the papers spread out on her desk. Science wasn’t like writing or art; there was just one correct answer, and she was pretty sure she didn’t know it.

**MDC: yeah i can check your essay**

Nino had asked her to check over his papers a few years back, and he checked hers too, although she was checking his for grammar and flow and he was checking to make sure she hadn’t gotten distracted and written about the wrong topic halfway through.

**MDC: Sorry I didn’t answer last night, I feel asleep early**

**MDC: I have some time this afternoon if you want to meet up?**

She really did feel bad about missing Luka’s texts, but she couldn’t regret the sleep she had gotten either. She felt a little more rested than she usually did before school. Only a little, though.

Convinced her parents were busy, she made her way downstairs. She took a quick shower and had breakfast, and was shocked to find she still had nearly a half hour before she needed to be out the door. She returned to her room and pulled out the Miracle Box.

Marinette didn’t pull the box out often; she missed Master Fu too much, and the weight of responsibility for the Miraculous was heavy on her shoulders. At the same time, she didn’t want the kwamis to feel abandoned. Whenever she had a good opportunity, she liked to bring out one or two. She wanted to get to know them: their personalities, their powers, and what advice they could give. 

“Hi, Wayzz,” she greeted the Turtle kwami.

“Hello, Master Marinette,” he answered formally.

“I wanted to talk to you and Tikki about some things,” she explained.

“Of course!” Tikki said, resting beside Wayzz on a pillow next to Marinette on her chaise lounge.

“As Guardian, do I need to know the identity of Cat Noir?”

Both kwamis sat silently for a moment. 

“There are benefits and consequences of knowledge like that.” Wayzz kept looking at Tikki, hesitant in his advice. “The other question is if Cat Noir should know you so he can come to the Guardian for help, yes?” 

“Exactly! We both knew Master Fu, so shouldn’t this be the same?”

“You didn’t know Master Fu until you needed to,” Tikki said. 

“I’m afraid that with Hawkmoth and Mayura getting bolder we may not have a safe reveal if it’s forced mid-battle.”

Both kwamis nodded, and looked at each other.

“Let me think on this,” Wayzz finally said. “You were right to ask for help with this decision. We’ll talk again tonight.”

“Thank you, Wayzz.” Marinette placed the bracelet back in the box, closed it, and once again hid it in the fabric scrap bin in her desk.

“I’m proud of you for asking for help deciding this, Marinette,” Tikki said as the girl picked up her school bag. “You’re proving you are ready and willing to listen to the advice of others, and that is important.”

“You know more than I do about things like this, why wouldn’t I listen to you?”

“Hawkmoth definitely isn’t listening to his kwami Nooroo, and Mayura isn’t listening to Duusu,” Tikki said, her voice quiet and sad.

“I guess you’re right,” Marinette said softly, scooping up her kwami and giving her a quick cheek hug. “I plan to always listen to you, Tikki.”

\-----------

Marinette ended up running all the way to the classroom. She had apparently taken longer with Wayzz than she thought, and was almost late despite her head start on her morning.

“Ok, how were you awake so early and still struggling to get here on time?” Alya teased as Marinette slid into her seat.

“How do you know I was awake early?”

“You texted me. Before 6am. I thought there was an emergency!” Alya laughed.

“I thought the same thing,” Nino said with a laugh of his own.

“I can’t believe I managed to beat you here!” Adrien teased gently.

“If I changed too much, would you still love me?” Marinette asked in a sulky tone as she wrapped her arms around Alya and batted her eyelashes at her best friend.

“I can love you and still hope you learn to be on time,” Alya said, hugging her back.

“Do you want to swap essays at lunch or after school?” Nino asked.

“Let’s do it during lunch, I’m meeting Luka later.”

“Oh, are you finally getting some time in with-”

“Yep!” Marinette cut off Alya’s question. She might have given up on pursuing Adrien, but she wasn’t comfortable talking about another guy in front of him.

Adrien looked a little confused by the exchange, but the moment was brief before Ms Bustier came in and started class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I'm using "Master" for Marinette the way the Jedi use it. I couldn't bring myself to use "Mistress"   
> -I am overwhelmed by the love in the comments. Seriously, you are all the best and I love you <3  
> -Just like last year, Happy Father's Day to everyone except Gabriel Agreste


	20. Thank You

Marinette kept looking at her phone as the last class got closer to wrapping up. Over lunch, she had agreed to meet Luka on the steps of the Trocadero once she was done with school for the day. Part of her was relieved that he had suggested such a public place. Theoretically, it would keep any potential situations to a minimum because no one wanted to draw the attention of spectators (or an akuma).

The other part of her wasn’t sure if she was overreacting. Luka was a good guy, and Marinette wasn’t afraid of him. She  _ was _ afraid of letting him down, of not following through on promises she hadn’t made but society seemed to expect.

If Luka wasn’t a bad guy, should she really be considering ending whatever tenuous relationship they seemed to have started? The pressure to not be single felt overwhelming. Her parents had never pushed it, but Alya and the other girls had been so supportive Marinette felt like she would be letting all of them down if she didn’t stick it out with Luka.

But that wasn’t fair to him either, was it? Didn’t he deserve a relationship founded on more than expectations and stereotypes? She decided she needed to find out what Luka was looking for before making any further choices. Did he want honesty from her about her confusing feelings?

She packed her bag when Ms Bustier released the class, but she certainly wasn’t rushing to leave. Alya and Nino were already out the door, making the most of the hour they had together before they both needed to take care of their younger siblings. Adrien hung back, waiting to walk out with Marinette in the hopes of getting another quick hug. (He hadn’t taken the time to analyze why he wanted her hugs more than anyone else's, and he wasn’t about to either)

“So, you said you’re going to meet up with Luka?” Adrien asked when she finally picked up her bag and walked toward the door.

“Um, yeah, he said he wanted to talk yesterday but I fell asleep early and didn’t see his texts until this morning.” She brushed her bangs aside, desperate for something to do with her hands.

“I don’t mean to pry, but you don’t seem comfortable with the idea of meeting Luka,” Adrien said hesitantly.

“It’s…” she opened her locker as she searched for the right words, “complicated.”

“Complicated?” Adrien echoed back.

“I don’t know if we’re looking for the same things from each other, like if we’re on the same page, so I need to talk to him, but I don’t know what page I’m even on… or if I’m even in the right book…” she muttered, getting quieter with each word.

“Oh, have you been re-evaluating the relationship after talking to your anonymous email partner?”

“Yeah, that’s definitely part of it,” she said vaguely. “There’s just a lot going on in my head right now, and I’m feeling pulled in multiple directions.”

“I totally get that feeling,” Adrien said with a smile as she closed her locker and they started walking toward the main entrance of the school. “Nathalie controls my schedule and doesn’t always take things like a social life into account.”

“I shouldn’t be complaining to you, you’re like ten times busier than me!” she exclaimed, feeling guilty.

“I know you’re busy too, Marinette,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders to try and pull her from her spiral. “You’re class president, you help your parents in their bakery, you help any friend who asks from Alya to Jagged Stone, you are an amazing designer… you really are pulled in multiple directions.”

“I bet Ladybug has it worse,” she said, momentarily hypnotized by Adrien’s eyes. She felt a nudge at her hip through her purse, and she realized Tikki was trying to get her to pay attention to what she was saying.

“And Cat Noir too,” he answered with a smirk that was just a little too reminiscent of the hero in question.

“Yep! Can you imagine juggling civilian life with hero duties?” she tried to laugh, but she ended up coughing instead.

“No thanks,” he said, laughing with her to try and make her less awkward about coughing.

The pair had made it to the car waiting for Adrien, and they both managed to take a deep breath and recollect themselves.

“Feel free to text me after you talk to Luka,” Adrien said, shyly rubbing his neck. “You know, if you want to talk to anyone about it.”

“Oh, thank you,” Marinette responded, equally shy.

He opened his arms for a hug, and she stepped up with no hesitation. They both took a moment to enjoy the moment, and then she stepped back and waved as she turned to leave. Adrien climbed into the car and stared out the window at her retreating form.

\------------

Luka was playing his guitar when Marinette arrived.

“What song is that?” she asked as she approached. “It sounds kind of…”

“Hesitant?” he supplied. “I think it’s about not knowing what to expect.”

“Oh.” She sat down beside him, not too close but not too far.

“Did I make you uncomfortable the other day? At the park?” he asked, turning to look her in the eye.

“What? Me? Uncomfortable? Psh, nooooo,” she immediately stammered, unable to look directly into his eyes.

“I think that answers that question,” he said, carefully setting his guitar aside. “Marinette, if I’m doing something that bothers you, you have to tell me.”

“You’re not doing anything wrong!”

“I didn’t say it was wrong.”

They sat in silence for a moment. Mr Ramier walked by, and Marinette had a fleeting moment where she hoped he would be akumatized yet again. Then she felt guilty for wishing an akuma would interrupt her time with Luka, then she felt awful for wishing for anyone to be akumatized. 

“Marinette, I don’t know what you’re thinking if you don’t express it.”

She snapped her eyes back to his, and he reached out his hands to take hers. She let him take her hands, but she instantly regretted it. Why were her hands so sweaty? Why did it make her feel trapped?

“What do you want from me, Luka?” she burst out.

“Want?” he asked. 

“Why are you here? Why do you spend time with me? What am I supposed to do for you?”

“You’re not supposed to ‘do’ anything for me, Marinette,” he said slowly. “I like spending time with you, and I thought you liked spending time with me.”

“Oh,” she said, staring at their hands. “Time isn’t something I have a lot of, I’m sorry.”

“I’ve noticed.” He also looked at their hands as his thumbs rubbed the backs of her knuckles. “I don’t want you to feel obligated to see me.”

“I’m so sorry, I-”

“Why do you keep apologizing?” he asked, genuinely concerned.

“I… I don’t want you to think I’m leading you on.” She took a deep breath and looked up. “In all the movies and tv shows and books the guy pays attention to the girl and the girl makes his life better and-”

“You’re not my muse, and you’re not a manic pixie dream girl. It is not your job to fix me, or anyone else for that matter.” He chuckled. “Maybe you need to watch and read different stories if it’s setting you up like this.”

“You’re…” she sniffled. “You’re not mad at me if I don’t think this is working?”

“Of course not.” He let go of her hands and moved over to give her some distance. “I’m not going to lie and say I’m not disappointed, but I would never want you to feel trapped.”

“Thank you, Luka,” she said as she took a few calming breaths. “I don’t deserve you.”

“You deserve to find your right fit,” he said, picking his guitar back up. The tune he played was similar to the one she had heard when she first got there, but this tune was somehow less hesitant and more bittersweet.

“I wish I knew what I was looking for,” she said after a few minutes. “I don’t know how much Juleka has been telling you about our lessons, but we’re only two topics in and it’s already shaking my understanding of relationships in general.”

“How so?”

“I didn’t realize people show their love in different ways. Like the way I show love - gifts and helping others - is totally different than someone who likes hugs and words. It makes me worried that I won’t find someone who communicates the way I do.”

“You don’t have to find someone with the same communication styles, though. As long as you understand what they mean and they understand your style, you can make it work.”

“How do you do that? How do you make things like that clear?” She was truly impressed that he understood her well enough to recognize her awkwardness earlier and her confusion now.

“I listen.”

“Can you continue to be a listener for me? Like, feel free to say no, but as we keep working through these lessons I may want your input. Is that ok?”

“Absolutely. This doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, and friends support each other.”

“Thank you, Luka, I really appreciate that.” Marinette stood up and grabbed her bag. “I’m going to head home, but… thank you for being so patient with me.”

Luka smiled up at her. “Thank you for being honest.”

Marinette walked home; the distance wasn’t far and it was nice to focus on moving. Once she was back in her room, Tikki flew out and snuggled up to her cheek.

“I’m very proud of you, Marinette. That wasn’t an easy conversation to have, but you expressed yourself well.”

“Thanks, Tikki. I’m glad Luka didn’t get upset like I was afraid.”

Marinette took a seat at her desk, and before she started her homework she sent out a text to Adrien.

**MDC: Conversation with Luka went well**

_ AA: Oh good!  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I was planning for the break up to happen way later in the story but I just couldn't drag it out any longer. Oops?


	21. Incommunicado

Marinette was excited to note that it was Friday as she got ready for school. Somehow she had zero plans for the entire weekend, and she was thrilled. She had a stack of designs that had been begging to be brought to life, and the last box of fabric had arrived. She knew she needed to focus in class, because akumas were already enough to mess with her grades; getting distracted dreaming of clothing was not going to fly.

She had made it to class mere seconds before Ms Bustier did, meaning she didn’t have a chance to talk to anyone. Adiren had given her a smile and a thumbs up as she slipped by, and she smiled back. Now that he was with Kagami and she wasn’t beside herself trying to get his attention, she had really begun to appreciate him as a friend. She still cared deeply and if he wasn’t with Kagami anymore and waited a respectable amount of time she would still totally go out with him in a heartbeat and-

“Heck yes!” Alya shouted, jumping out her seat. Before Ms Bustier could scold her for interrupting, the akuma alarms began blaring through the building. Marinette grabbed her stuff and did her best to sneak off from the rest of the class. She noticed from the corner of her eye that Alya had done the same. No surprise, as the amatuer reporter was hellbent on filming as much akuma action as she could from as close as possible. Nino had grabbed his things, and Marinette knew that he would follow Alya no matter what. Adrien grabbed his things as well, but she assumed it was so he could head straight to a photoshoot or something without having to double back to the school, depending on how long the battle was.

She found her way out a back door of the school, and took a moment to get her bearings in the alleyway. “Tikki, is it too much to ask for an interrupted class day?”

Tikki flew out of her purse with a grin. “Maybe it means Hawkmoth won’t be a problem over the weekend!”

“Now there’s a positive thought!” Marinette said with a grin. “Tikki, spots on!”

\------------

The akuma was calling herself Incommunicado. Based on the ranting the akuma was doing loudly, her boyfriend had stopped answering her messages. Considering they were apparently also in a long-distance relationship, this was devastating.

“Always a pleasure to see you, My Lady,” Cat Noir greeted his partner when he landed. “What do we have here?”

“She seems upset about communication. She has a beam to target people, but they don’t seem to be in pain or unable to move or anything.”

“Maybe they can’t talk if they get hit?”

“That’s a pretty good guess,” Ladybug said after a moment of thought. “In that case, we should really try to avoid being hit.”

“Don’t we always?” he said with an overly dramatic wink.

“No, you take hits for me all the time,” she said with a bit of a huff. “And as much as I need a break from your puns, I need you to be able to call out your cataclysm more.”

“Me-ouch, bugaboo, that stings!”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ll get over it.”

\------------

The battle was pretty average overall. Neither hero had needed to step away and recharge, and they never felt like they needed back up. Maybe Hawkmoth had other things to worry about on his schedule for the day?

“I’m not one to complain about an easy takedown, but I really hope this battle today means I get the weekend off,” Ladybug said after calling for her Miraculous Cure.

“Big plans again this weekend?”

“No, I actually have no plans and that’s really exciting.”

He laughed at her sigh of relief. “If anyone deserves a break it’s you, Ladybug.” He bent low in a bow and gave her a salute. “We still on for a patrol tonight?”

“Yeah, I have some Guardian stuff I’d like to talk over with you. Nothing pressing, but I have to make some tough decisions soon and I want your input.”

“My input? Why? You’re the Guardian?” he asked, confused.

“Yes, but you’re my partner. You know more about this than anyone else I can talk to.”

“I’m… literally the only person you can talk to about this. Unless you revealed your identity to someone else?” He tried to play the question off as a joke, but the delivery still sounded a bit pained.

She made direct eye contact before answering “I’ve been talking to the kwamis. No human knows my identity.”

“Oh, duh. That makes sense.” Cat Noir tried not to look too relieved.

“I really trust you, and these are decisions that will affect both of us, so you deserve to be involved.” She waited for a response, assuming it would be some off-handed quip about how involved they should be. She didn’t expect to look over and see tears in his eyes. “Are you ok?!”

“Yeah, um, I’m fine,” he said with a quick swipe of his hand across his face. “I, well, I don’t have much say in anything in my civilian life and no one seems to trust me with any decisions, big or small, so I’m not used to anyone listening to what I think.”

“Come here,” Ladybug said, trying to make it not sound like an order. Cat Noir stepped forward hesitantly, and she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight.

He stayed motionless initially, frozen by the unexpected contact, but he relaxed and melted into the hug pretty quickly. Marinette had read in an article about babysitting tips that when hugging a child, you should never be the one to let go first; you don’t know how much they need the hug. She decided to apply the same logic here and hold her partner until he felt better.

He let go when he heard his Miraculous beep. “I have to go, but I don’t want to,” he said sadly, his voice muffled by her hair as he rested his face on the top of her head.

“If you go now, you can get another hug on patrol later.”

“Deal.” He took a deep breath as he stepped back and seemed to stand a little taller than he did before. “Thank you, My Lady.”

“Any time, Cat Noir. Any time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Sorry if this chapter feels a little short, I helped a friend move today and I am EXHAUSTED  
> -I am SO BAD at naming akumas so here, have a villain name that's just a Jimmy Buffet song title  
> -Can you tell I am a sucker for supportive partner dynamics and quality hugs?


	22. Conversations

Marinette opened her email and stared at the empty draft for a few minutes. She certainly wasn’t required to update her project partner on her conversation with Luka, but she wanted to discuss it with  _ someone _ and an anonymous person with no preconceptions about the situation might be ideal.

Tikki had been there, so it felt redundant to talk it through with her. Most of her classmates knew Luka, and she didn’t want anyone involved in Kitty Section to feel like they needed to pick sides or anything since there were no sides to take.She also wasn’t looking for pity; she knew she had made the right choice, even if it was messy and uncomfortable. Alya would jump straight into trying to set her up with Adrien again, and that was NOT an option. 

**So I had a big conversation with the person I mentioned before**

Surprisingly, her partner answered nearly immediately. 

_ Clearly something shifted. Was it a good change? _

**How can you tell something changed?**

_ Instead of just calling them your person you said it was the person you mentioned before. In your mind, this is no longer someone you have any claim over. I’m guessing you broke up? _

**Wow, am I that easy to read? You just about nailed it, we decided to be casual friends and not push for more**

“Tikki, if my partner can tell I broke up with Luka from a single sentence, am I risking my identity?”

“I don’t think so. This was an update on a specific situation, not a blind guess. Maybe don’t bring up Ladybug unnecessarily?”

“That makes sense, thanks.”

_ Who started the conversation? (Please don’t feel pressured to answer, if anything seems too invasive don’t feel bad about telling me to butt out) And how do you feel now? _

**If a question is too far I’ll let you know, I promise <3 I asked what they wanted from me, and they said I didn’t owe them, and that was a huge relief. I’m so used to everyone in my life needing something from me, so it is hard to wrap my head around the fact that I am not required to give someone my time and attention. I feel less stressed now that we’ve had this talk. I had kind of been avoiding them, and then feeling guilty about the avoiding, so having that off my plate is nice.**

_ Conversations like that aren’t easy, and I am so proud of you for standing up for yourself! It sounds like they are a good person too which helps. I went through a minor breakup recently myself and even when everything is right and smooth it’s not easy _

**Exactly! ...are we secretly the same person?**

_ I think we’re like two sides of a coin. Different views, but the same material _

\-------------

Marinette had finished her homework and headed down the stairs from her room to join her parents for dinner. They had always tried to make sit down family meals a daily occurrence, although now that she was a teenager it wasn’t the end of the world if they missed a night here and there.

“What’s for dinner tonight, Maman?” she asked as she filled a cup with water and set it at her seat.

“Spaghetti Bolognese, and your father is finishing up some garlic bread downstairs.”

“One of my favorites!” Marinette said happily as she set the table.

“Yes indeed,” Sabine said as she dished up the pasta. “You seemed a bit down yesterday, so I thought this would be a nice little surprise for you.”

“Thank you,” Marinette said as she hugged her mother from behind. 

“You’re welcome, dear,” Sabine turned and gave her daughter’s forehead a quick peck. “If you want to talk about whatever it is you can, but if not I won’t pry.”

“What are we not prying into?” Tom asked as he entered the room with a basket of fresh bread.

“What happened to me yesterday,” Marinette answered as they all took their seats at the table. “Um, so you know how I had been getting close with Luka?” Her parents nodded in agreement. “Yeah, well, so, we talked and agreed that we just weren’t really connecting well. So we’re just friends now.”

With that said, she immediately popped a big bite of food in her mouth. As she looked up from her plate, she saw her parents look quickly at each other and then back at her. 

“Are you happy with that update?” Tom asked, reaching to grab a piece of bread and trying to sound casual.

“Yes, I am,” Marinette replied enthusiastically. “I feel like I’m under a lot less pressure now.”

“He was pressuring you?” Sabine asked, concerned.

“No no no, not like that!” Marinette nearly knocked her water cup over as she waved her hands around. “I just didn’t want to lead him on when I wasn’t sure what I wanted out of the relationship and now I don’t have to feel guilty if I get busy and don’t talk to him as often.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” her mother soothed. “Are you staying friends?”

“Yes, he’s still a good guy and we have interesting conversations,” Marinette said after another bite of food.

“Good! I’m not happy it didn’t work out perfectly because of course I only want the best for my little girl, but it sounds like you grew a bit from this,” Tom beamed proudly.

“I did.” Marinette smiled and enjoyed the rest of her meal with her parents.

\-------------

Marinette wasn’t surprised to find her partner already seated at the top of the Eiffel tower. She had made a short loop of the neighborhood before arriving, as she was pretty sure tonight’s patrol would mostly be seated.

“Waiting for someone, alley cat?” she teased as she landed gracefully beside him.

“The love of my life, actually,” he responded in an equally teasing tone.

“Let me know when they show up, I’d like to meet them,” she said with a smile and a shoulder bump.

“You’ll be the first to know.” Cat Noir gently returned the shoulder bump, reminding her of a cat asking for attention.

They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the view of the city they defended. Marinette couldn’t help but love moments like this; the view was stunning, and the quiet companionship soothed her soul like a balm. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, quietly reflecting on everything that had happened in the last few weeks.

“You seem unusually chill tonight, my Lady. Everything good at home?”

“Yeah, actually. I took a step that was a little scary but it was necessary and I feel better now.”

“It was no match for your bravery,” he said softly.

“You’d be amazed, I’m not this bold without the mask.” She shrugged.

“Then I am especially lucky to know this side of you, bugaboo.”

“Thanks, Cat,” she smiled. “I have a couple of different things to talk about with you tonight.”

“Fire away!” he said, sitting up a little straighter in recognition of her switch to a business tone.

She pulled a piece of paper out of her yoyo, glancing over it. He tilted his head to the side, his question silent but implied.

“I didn’t want to forget anything, so I wrote it down. Anyway, topic number one: have you heard about the month long fundraiser/awareness event for art education?”

“The one that Marinette jumped out of an airplane for? Of course I know about it!” he said excitedly.

“You saw that?”

“Are you kidding me? She’s one of the coolest people I know!”

“You’re just saying that because her outfit was themed around you.”

“No, LB, I mean it! She is amazing!”

“How well do you know her?” she asked before she realized what she was saying.

“Well, there was the Evillustrator situation, and Weredad, and Kwami Bus- um, I’ve met her a few times.”

“Right, right… so, do we want to make an appearance in support of the cause?”

“Absolutely, I would totally be down for that! Maybe Marinette could join us!”

The girl in question tried not to panic in the face of her partner’s enthusiasm. “She’s already done an event with Jagged Stone, I don’t think she’d want to do it again.”

“Nonsense, she is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and she will bend over backwards to help, even when she shouldn’t.” He was absolutely serious as he defended Marinette’s honor.

“I was thinking we could do something that focuses on how using art as an outlet for emotions can help keep you from being akumatized, I don’t think she would be the right fit for that. After all, she hasn’t been akumatized.”

“Oh, I guess that makes sense,” he said, sitting back. “I really hope we never have to try to stop her though. I think she could actually stop us.”

“...I agree with that,” she said quietly.

“Do we want to film a video advocating for using art as an outlet?”

“Yeah, that would be the best way to do it,” she agreed quickly. “Let’s do that Sunday night. I want to see what I can do as an example.”

“Can I keep whatever you make?” he asked, perking up.

“I think we could add it to the auction that’s happening online to raise more funds.”

“Ok, I’ll just have to buy it from there then. Cool.”

“Please don’t spend a crazy amount of money on something like that,” she pleaded. “I can just make you something as a gift.”

“A gift? Really?”

“Of course.”

There was another quiet moment as Cat Noir tried not to cry at the idea of a gift from Ladybug and Ladybug tried not to notice.

“Topic two! I was talking to Tikki and Wayzz about maybe picking some new heroes and training them in advance instead of just going with the “trial by fire” method we had been using before.”

“Now that Hawkmoth’s making battle sharder and Mayura is out more often, we may need to shift strategies,” he mused. “What do the kwamis think?”

“They said there were pros and cons to both sides and that the final choice is up to me.”

“Hence why you came to me. That makes sense,” he chuckled.

“This affects you just as much as it affects me,” she explained.

“I think we should at least have a list of candidates prepared so we aren’t blindly picking people.”

“Other than Queen Bee and King Monkey, none of them were blindly choices.”

“Oh?” he asked, intrigued.

“Queen Bee was an accident, and Master Fu picked King Monkey himself.”

“So you personally know all of the other heroes?” 

Marinette knew she was risking giving him a huge clue about her identity, but considering what her third discussion point of the evening was…

“Yes, I know the others well.”

Cat Noir sat back, processing what she had just told him. He ran through the identities knew: Alya, Nino, Alix, Luka, Max, Kim, and Kagami.

“Wait a minute!” he shouted. “Marinette was Multimouse and she wasn’t revealed! How did she avoid that?”

“Aspik wasn’t revealed either,” she said, also puzzled. “Maybe they were far enough away?”

“Well Marinette is the top of my list for new heroes any day.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“What about Aspik? I didn’t meet him.”

“I think he would be a good fit for a different Miraculous.” She thought it over. “Maybe the Dragon, that has a sword and he has fencing experience.”

“Am I allowed to know who he is?” he asked hesitantly.

“Yeah, I don’t see why not since you know every single other hero. It’s Adrien Agreste, the model.” She did her best not to say the name with too much reverence.

“Is he too busy to help? I figure a model has a pretty intense schedule.”

“You may be right, Cat. Our back up heroes don’t have to be available 24/7 though.”

“Not like us. Is it bad that the first thing I’m doing when we defeat Hawkmoth is going on vacation?”

Ladybug laughed. “Only if you take me with you!”

“I’d need to know who you were for that, my Lady.”

“Funny story, that actually brings us to topic number three.”

“Please don’t joke about that, LB. What’s the real topic?”

“We both knew Master Fu’s identity, and that ended up being really important.”

He stared at her, desperately trying not to get his hopes up. “Yeah, and?”

“I don’t think it would be any time soon, but… it might be better for you to know who I am so you can come to me for help if I need it. And I might need to know who you are to help you better.”

“That makes sense,” he said, although she could tell he wasn’t really breathing. “Logical. Understandable.”

“I’m sorry, did I break you?” she asked, putting a hand on his face to turn it so she could look him directly in the eye. “I don’t know when will be the right moment, but I’m afraid of having something big like that be an accident in battle.”

“You actually want to know me?” he asked, tears threatening to fall.

“Of course, I do!” she launched herself forward, hugging him fiercely. “I just want to be sure we do this the safest way possible. And I don’t think it should be soon; we probably both need time to adjust to the idea.” She paused before continuing. “Can I tell you what scares me the most?”

He nodded, unable to speak because his emotions were in a whirlwind.

“Bunnyx once showed up and I had to time travel with her. You had been akumatized and I had to save you. You said… you said our love was what had destroyed the world. It was straight out of a nightmare; the city was under water, everyone was dead, and you had even managed to… to break the moon.”

“How did I break the moon?” he asked.

“You were Chat Blanc and you had a super-powered Cataclysm. I was able to save you, obviously, but you knew my name. Hearing the akumatized version of you spit my name out… it was really upsetting.”

“That sounds terrible. I’m amazed you didn’t run from me when you got back.”

“Obviously I fixed everything, but you have to understand why I am so cautious about this.”

“Thank you for telling me. That does explain a lot.”

She realized that she was still hugging him. They had shifted so they were once again seated side by side. Her arms were around his middle, and his head rested on top of hers. Oddly, he was closer to her than Luka had ever been, but the claustrophobic feeling wasn’t there. 

“Like I said, these are hard decisions I want to discuss with you instead of just choosing on my own.”

“Your trust means the world to me, Ladybug.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Bolognese sauce with penne was my absolute favorite meal at that age  
> -I 100% believe Cat Noir stans Marinette


	23. On Set

Marinette took her time opening her eyes Saturday morning. The best part about sleeping in was waking up and getting to choose to roll back over and not actually get out of bed. She snuggled back under her covers, ignoring the sunlight pouring in through her windows.

Just a few minutes later, her phone vibrated on the shelf above her head. With a disgruntled sound, she flopped her hand around until she made contact with the device and pulled it off the charger. She unlocked the screen and squinted at the bright light.

_ AC: Hey girl! Lila’s planning a group picnic for lunch, you in? _

Marinette frowned at her phone. A group lunch without Lila might be fun, but there was no way she was going to choose to spend time with her tormentor. She also wanted to be careful with her rejection of the offer, as Lila would not hesitate to make it sound like Marinette was just being mean. Before she could respond, however, she received another text.

_ AA: Hey, Nino told me Lila is planning a group picnic. I can’t go because of a photoshoot, but if you need an excuse you can come with me! _

_ AA: Also I know you would enjoy the photoshoot even without the added bonus of avoiding a certain someone XD _

**MDC: OMG thank you Adrien, you are a lifesaver! I won’t tell Alya the exact plan so Lila can’t squirm her way in, but when she asks later this is a perfect cover**

**MDC: Also yes, I am very interested in the photoshoot on its own merits!**

Marinette couldn’t help but let out a squeal of excitement. Not only was she invited to a photoshoot, Adrien was helping directly with the Lila situation!

**MDC: Sorry Alya, I have plans today, but let me know how it goes!**

_ AA: I’ll pick you up in 20, sound good? _

**MDC: Sounds great!**

She launched out of bed, frantically planning an outfit as 20 minutes was barely enough time to pull herself together under the best of circumstances. She dug into the back of her closet and found a cute pink dress with a 50’s silhouette. It was sleeveless on top of being just a little too formal to wear to school, but she knew it would give her the confidence boost she needed to be on a fashion set today.

She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and, with Tikki’s help, got the end to curl just right. She added some makeup, knowing that the lights on set would wash out her features if she didn’t accent them well. She bounced happily down the stairs and grabbed an apple from the kitchen before continuing down the stairs to the bakery. 

“Hey, Adrien asked me to go to a photoshoot with him today, he’s on his way to pick me up,” she said as her parents looked up. They were shocked to see her dressed and cheerful at 9am on a Saturday.

“Before you say anything, I know it’s early but he’s worth- the opportunity is worth it! This is a great opportunity to see a photoshoot in action and-”

“You’re right, this is a great opportunity your friend is giving you,” Sabine said with a smile. “Take these croissants and have fun!”

“Thank you!” Marinette shouted as she left the bakery in high spirits. It was only another moment before the familiar silver car pulled to a stop in front of her.

The car door swung open and Adrien leaned out. “Hey, jump on… in…” He stared at her for a moment, and Marinette immediately questioned her outfit. It was the wrong choice, she just knew it! And her hair was terrible and her makeup was sloppy and-

“You look amazing, Marinette,” he said softly. “Wow…”

“Oh, thanks,” she responded, just as quietly. “Um, my parents gave me croissants?” she asked, holding up the box in question.

“That’s awesome! Yeah, slide in and we can eat those on the way.” He slid back to his seat behind the driver so she could take a seat and close the door. She handed him the bakery box as she carefully buckled her seat belt and checked that her purse wasn’t squished (even a kwami as patient as Tikki doesn’t appreciate being crushed).

By the time she looked back up, Adrien had eaten half a croissant and was well on his way to finishing it. “I’m sorry, i should have asked first,” he said, sounding a little sheepish.

“Not at all, they’re here to be eaten!” She grabbed another croissant and hastily stuffed it in her mouth to give her time to think again. How did he look so cute just eating?

Maybe it was because his facial expressions were all over the place as he enjoyed the treat. He always enjoyed anything she brought from her parents, but this seemed like he was especially enjoying the fresh food.

“I’ve never asked, but are you even allowed to eat bread? You know, as a model?”

“Well… Father has a dietician who plans my meals and monitors my weight and stuff. But Gustav is great, he’s never been mean about my food choices.”

“Why do they monitor your weight?”

“It’s illegal for models to be too skinny here in France. Father likes the slim build, but he also doesn’t want to get sued. So he has Gustav figure out how to keep me at the lowest weight and still be legal and stuff.”

“Wow, I had no idea,” she said, stunned.

“I don’t really talk about it because it’s awkward, but it’s not embarrassing or anything.” He shrugged and finished the last bite of his food. “Actually, I can get away with eating treats more often. Lately, Gustav has been complaining because I’m actually under the target weight. Not enough to be in trouble, but he doesn’t understand how it’s happening.”

“Too much exercise? You talk about fencing and basketball and stuff a lot.”

“Probably, but Father would never let me skip any of my lessons.”

They sat silently, enjoying the calm of the car and knowing it was going to be hectic when they got to the set.

“Thanks for joining me today, Marinette,” Adrien said, looking over at her instead of out the window like before. 

“Of course, what are friends for?”

\-------------

Marinette had been set up in a chair behind the photographer while Adrien had gone into the prep area. She pulled her sketchbook out of her back, taking the opportunity to check that Tikki was doing ok. A quick grin reassured her that all was good, and she flipped to an open page in her book before looking around her.

There was a sense of chaos and yet everyone seemed to know what they were doing. People rushed back and forth carrying props and equipment, moving like they were under a strict time limit, and Marinette realised that was probably exactly what was happening. It was like watching a complex machine with dozens of gears all moving in unison.

“Ah, principessa! Adrien’s girl has arrived at last!” Marinette turned in her seat to see a slim Italian coming towards her with open arms.

“I’m just a friend of his, sir,” she corrected politely.

“Nonsense! Every time I ask him to describe his dream girl he gushes about her midnight hair and bluebell eyes! I am thrilled to meet you and see that you are just as pretty in the real world!” He approached and swiftly leaned in to greet her with a kiss of both cheeks. Stunned, she barely responded in time with her own kisses.

“This dress! Where did you get it?” the photographer asked, waving to her outfit. “It is perfection! Come, step up to the lights so I may see it better while we wait for the sunshine boy!”

Hesitantly, Marinette got up from her seat and set her sketchbook and purse down. She walked over to the area where the photoshoot would be taking place. As soon as she stepped on the set, she was blinded by a flash of lights. 

“Stunning! Glorious!” There was a constant stream of praise as the photographer jumped from angle to angle. Marinette didn’t really know how to react, so she gave a small smile and turned to show off the embroidery she had done around the bottom edge of the skirt. “Exactly! You’re a natural, principessa!”

“I agree.” Marinette looked up to find Adrien Agreste smiling at her, dressed in dark blue slacks, a matching vest, and a pale pink shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his biceps.

“You look fantastic!” she said, desperate to get the attention off of herself now that she was aware of just how many people on set were watching her.

“You look better,” Adrien responded with a wink.

“Adrien, you’ve been hiding your princess from me, and this cannot stand!” The photographer had moved over to the computer set up to review the frames he had shot with Marinette. “The girl is a natural, and the dress is perfect. We need to see her more often.”

“I’m not his princess,” she said with a blush as she settled back in her seat.

“You certainly look like one,” Adrien said. “I’ll try to bring her around more often.”

“Yes, you will! Now it’s your turn! Step up there and show me what you’ve got in comparison!”

Marinette quickly forgot the sketchbook in her hands as Adrien came alive in front of the camera. He flowed from pose to pose, holding each for a few seconds to allow it to be captured. He breezed through a range of emotions, allowing the production team to select their favorites based on the ad placement. 

Marinette appreciated what Adrien was doing so much more after her own mini photoshoot. She knew just how hot the lights were, how blinding the flashes could be, and how awkward it felt to be studied from every angle. She was also impressed with the clothes that he wore; she was relatively certain they had been designed specifically for him to wear.

About an hour passed before an assistant called out saying it was time for a break. Adrien headed straight for Marinette, and she wasn’t prepared. She had assumed he would want water or a snack after the first part of the session.

“What do you think so far?” he asked eagerly.

“You make it look so easy! Your timing is impressive, and you never look lost.”

“That’s just practice. You looked pretty natural at it earlier; with time you could probably be on my level.” He glanced over at the craft table. “Do you mind coming with me to grab something?”

“Of course!” She jumped up from her chair and walked over with him. The table was covered in an assortment of options, with everything from fresh fruit to American style donuts.

He saw her look of surprise and laughed. “We have people from all over, and the team tries to make sure there are options available for everyone.”

“That’s nice of them,” she said as she picked up a cup of berries.

“Are you glad you came?” he asked as he opened a water bottle.

“Absolutely! I’ve learned so much so far! It is interesting to see what is different from filming sets. When they filmed in my house, there was a lot less equipment, but just as much chaotic energy.”

“Yeah, filming feels different for sure. It’s a little more similar when you film in a studio.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” she said, popping a strawberry in her mouth. “These are my favorites, I could eat a whole bucket of them.”

“I could too!” Adrien laughed. “I’ll be sure to let the team know for next time.”

“Next time?’ she asked.

“Well, I would love it if you could come more often,” he said shyly, rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand. “I don’t get a lot of free time, and if you came to set I could get time with you while also taking care of my responsibilities.”

“If you want me here, then I’ll be here,” she said firmly. “Besides, this is the career field I want. How can I say no to helping a friend when it’s exactly where I want to be?”

“Thanks, Marinette.”

\------------

It was almost evening when they left the studio. Adrien had insisted on taking Marinette home, and the car ride was quiet. Both teens were exhausted from the day.

“How’s Luka?” Adrien asked, trying to sound casual.

“He’s doing pretty good. Lots of songwriting, you know Luka,” she said with an awkward laugh. “How’s Kagami?”

“She’s good too. She really put me through my paces at our last fencing practice.”

They both nodded, picturing the fierce girl with her saber and signature red suit.

“How’s the anonymous email partner?” Marinette asked to break the sudden tension.

“Amazing. I really hope I get to find out who it is, there’s not a lot of people I’ve ever had this much in common with and it’s really nice to feel truly understood, you know?”

“I’ve been feeling the same way. I like the anonymity for now, but this is someone I would love to continue to know after the lessons are done.”

The car came to stop, and Marinette realized that they had arrived at the bakery.

“Thank you again for bringing me today, Adrien,” she said as she opened the door.

“Thank you for coming. I’ll make sure to get you the details for the next one!” he said, waving.

She waved back and closed the door. As she trudged up the stairs, the reality of the day hit her. She got to sit in on a real fashion shoot, she got to try her hand at modeling, Adrien seemed happy to spend time with just her, and he wanted to do it again!

Marinette kicked her shoes off as soon as she was in her room, and Tikki flew over the desk. 

“That was amazing, Tikki!” she said as she twirled with excitement, her dress flaring out.

“It really was!” the kwami cheered.

Marinette looked at her phone, realizing that she hadn’t checked it since she had left the house that morning. There was a text from Alya.

_ AC: I thought you were excited you didn’t have any plans for the weekend? Did something come up with Luka? _

**MDC: Actually, Adrien asked me to come to his photoshoot, I just got home from that**

_ AC: Wow, really? I thought he was dating Kagami? _

**MDC: This wasn’t a date, it was a friend thing**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Yes, it is illegal in France for models to be under a certain BMI  
> -My knowledge of photoshoots is primarily based on many, MANY seasons of ANTM  
> -I enjoy modeling and photography. My photoshoots have all been amateur, but I've been working as a paid cosplay model for art students for the last few years. I even did a Ladybug session! (photos are on my instagram account @itskatienail)


	24. Paint

Sunday morning at 10:00 found Marinette pacing around her room. She had tried to sleep in, but her brain had kicked into full planning gear and she couldn’t stay still. She wanted to reveal her art piece in the video with Cat Noir so it would be recognized when it went up for auction, which meant it needed to be done by the evening.

The other complication was it needed to be something very different from her style. This couldn’t be something that could be traced back to Marinette, which meant anything fashion related was off the table. She had started to dig her art supplies out of her desk drawers, but she had gotten a bit overwhelmed when she saw it all strewn across her floor. Surely she hadn’t managed to hoard this much stuff?

“What medium are you thinking?” Tikki asked, trying to break Marinette out of her panic.

“I think paint on canvas would be best. The supplies I have are pretty generic, so no one can trace purchases or anything. I’ve never shown anyone my paintings, mainly because I’m embarrassed by them, but no one has expectations for Ladybug’s abilities.”

“What if you did a crazy background and a quote on top that related to the project? And then you sign it?” Tikki suggested from her perch on the desk.

“I like that! But what quote?”

“What about that one you saw online the other day? ‘Feelings are much like waves. We can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf.’ It fits you and the project.”

“I like it! Oh and then I can do blue wave shapes but keep it really abstract which is different from my usual style!! Thanks Tikki!”

Now that she had a plan in place, she set to work. She selected the largest canvas she had, which was 50cm x 50cm. She pulled out every shade of blue acrylic paint she had, then grabbed a few shades of green and yellow and white to give herself options and accents later. 

“Now that you have the supplies picked out, maybe you should eat lunch before you start painting so you don’t get so focused you skip food the whole day?”

Before Marinette could give her kwami a sassy answer, her stomach rumbled loudly. “Maybe that’s a good idea.”

The pair went down to the kitchen, and Marinette heated up some leftover pasta while Tikki munched happily on a macaron. Marinette couldn’t help but try to eat her food as quickly as possible, even if she managed to burn the roof of her mouth in the process. She glanced at the clock on the wall as she washed her dish. Realistically, she had 2 hours to paint the canvas so it would have 5 hours to dry before she needed to meet Cat Noir. It might seem like an excessive timeline to anyone else, but she refused to let smudged paint happen to Ladybug’s first public masterpiece.

She decided to to a rectangle in the middle of the canvas that was a simple blue so the black lettering of the quote would be clearly visible. There would be a white border, and then the rest of the canvas would be swirls and curves to evoke the wild waves of the ocean.

Marinette turned on some music - Jagged Stone, of course - and settled in at her desk for her painting session.

There was something akin to bliss she felt as she lost herself in the process. The colors blended smoothly and she let her emotions pour out in the brushstrokes. The lettering gave her a chance to hone in on the details; she paid particular care to not retreat to her standard handwriting style. This wasn’t a painting by Marinette; this was a painting by Ladybug. Ladybug was bolder with her colors and strokes than Marinette would ever be. There were harsh transitions and bold splashes that made the piece feel alive.

She didn’t realize it until she sat back in her seat, pleased with her work, that two and a half hours had gone by. She stretched and heard several pops from her back as the pressure was released. Gently, she set the canvas down on the desk to dry and she walked over to the sink to wash the paint off her hands.

Marinette started laughing when she looked at her face in the mirror. “Why didn’t you say anything, Tikki?”

“What do you mean?” the kwami asked, looking up from the book she had been reading.

Marinette slowly turned around, and Tikki couldn’t help but join in her laughter. Somehow she had managed to get paint on her face, mainly her forehead. The color was nearly the same as her eyes, and it made them stand out even more than usual.

“Oh, we need a photo of this!” Tikki squealed as she grabbed Marinette’s phone.

“I’ll take a selfie, that will be easier to explain if someone ever saw it,” Marinette said, taking the phone from Tikki.

She took a few selfies, some serious and some funny, then washed all of the paint from her hands, arms, and face.

Tikki had flown over to see the finished piece. “You did an amazing job, Marinette!”

“Thanks,” she answered, walking over to look at it as well. “It’s different from my normal style, but I wouldn’t mind doing more like this.”

“Ladybug may be asked to do things like this more often once Paris sees this!”

“Cat Noir gets first dibs on my next piece,” Marinette said with a smile. She had already started to imagine what that piece would look like…

\-------------

“Ready for filming, my Lady?” Cat Noir asked as Ladybug arrived, the canvas in a protective sleeve.

“Absolutely!” she said, beaming with pride. “I’m really happy with how my art piece came out.”

“Let me see!” he said, making grabby hand gestures at her.

She pulled it carefully from the fabric cover she had made for it and held it up so the lights of the Eiffel Tower could illuminate it.

“Wow, LB, I didn’t know you were a painter!” he said, sounding almost breathless.

“I’ve never done anything like this piece before, so I’m just as surprised as you are!” she laughed, enjoying his reaction.

“When you’re ready to paint people just let me know, I can be your model.” He gave her a wink and an eyebrow raise, and she laughed at him in a good-natured way.

“The day I see you sit still is the day I know something is wrong.”

Cat Noir stepped closer to see the details, and she held it out proudly. 

“The quote is perfect.”

“Thanks, Tikki helped me choose it!”

“Ready for filming? I think it will be easier if I film with my baton so you can hold up the painting at the right time.”

“I agree, that sounds good!”

The pair moved around, trying to find a spot that had enough light to clearly see them but also showed that they were filming at the top of the tower. Most of Paris already knew the top of the Eiffel Tower was their favorite spot, so it wouldn’t reveal any new information about them.

“Ready?” Cat Noir asked.

“Ready,” Ladybug responded confidently.

Cat Noir started filming and waved at the camera. “Hey Paris! We heard about the charity fundraiser for arts education that’s happening this month, and we wanted to get involved!”

“Art allows many people, including younger people, to express their emotions in a safe and healthy way,” Ladybug continued. “We wanted to show our support for this amazing cause and help raise awareness and funds!”

“This video may not be the coolest video that you see this month - I think Jagged Stone and Marinette Dupain-Cheng hold that title - but we couldn’t resist. We also wanted to add something to the auction!”

“Indeed. This,” Ladybug said as she held the painting up, “is a Ladybug original, hand painted by yours truly and donated to the fundraiser. Art in any form is a great way to let your emotions out instead of bottling them up until you become akumatized. While it’s not your fault if Hawkmoth targets you, you don’t have to make it easy for him to find you.”

“Exactly! Who wouldn’t want to own a Ladybug original? Show your support, make great art, and take care of each other!”

They both smiled as Cat cut the recording. He took a photo of the painting before she slid it back in the protective sleeve.

“Thanks, Cat Noir. Can you post that on Twitter from our official account? I’m going to drop this off with Penny and Jagged Stone, they’ll know how to add it to the auction page.”

“Sounds like a plan, My Lady!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Guess who likes to do quotes on painted canvases? (Hi, it's me projecting on Marinette again lol)


	25. Lesson Three

“Girl did you see the video?!”

Marinette nearly jumped out her skin when Alya screamed at her the second she walked in the door to class.

“What video?” she asked innocently.

“I swear you live under a ROCK and you’re going to be the death of me,” Alya said as she jumped from her seat and grabbed Marinette’s shoulders. “THE video!”

Marinette looked around her friend and made eye contact with Nino, who just shrugged. She glanced over to Adrien, who was trying not to laugh at the scene in front of him.

“Ok, I’m going to guess from the... everything about you that this was a video of Ladybug?”

“YES! Yes, it was. She and Cat Noir made a video for the arts event! They support it! And also Ladybug made a painting and it’s going to be auctioned for the fundraiser and I don’t stand a chance at winning it but DAMN wouldn’t it be amazing to own a Ladybug original?”

“You’re right that you don’t have a chance, Cesaire,” Chloe interrupted from her seat. She was inspecting her nails and pretending like she wasn’t listening, but she was practically vibrating with excitement. “I told Daddy that I need it, so I’m going to win it.”

“You and most of Paris,” Adrien mumbled under his breath.

“Oh, Adri-kins, I think your crush on Ladybug is sweet and all, but I’m going to crush you like a bug if you try to outbid me.”

“Suit yourself,” he said, leaning back in his seat and putting his hands behind his head. “I heard Jagged Stone made a similar claim. Oh, and apparently Theo passed out when he found out Ladybug is an artist.”

“Of course she’s an artist, she’s perfect,” Chloe snapped.

Marinette made it to her seat, but barely. Chloe had been so mad at Ladybug after Miracle Queen; when had she jumped back on board the fangirl train?

“This just proves my point though,” Alya sighed. “There is no possible way for me to compete with Chloe. Or Adrien, for that matter.”

“Maybe Ladybug will make other pieces?” Marinette asked quietly. Honestly, it wasn’t a bad idea. She could raise a lot of money for charities by doing something she loved and clearly it made others happy too.What if she did a cheerful one for the local children’s hospital? Or what if-

“Good morning, class,” Ms Bustier said, and the buzz of conversation died down. “It’s Monday, which means we’ve made it to the third lesson in our identity project. Did everyone find last week’s lesson on love languages beneficial?”

“Absolutely,” Max said. “Being able to analyze different methods of communication, some of which is unconscious, was fascinating. I’m planning some upgrades to Markov based on what I’ve observed.”

“Excellent! Anyone else?”

“I liked the clarification that physical contact to express love can be platonic stuff like hugs,” Alya said.

“Even if you’re not good at your own language, you can improve,” Ivan said quietly. “I like using words of affirmation to tell Mylene how I feel, but I can make my words easier to understand.”

Marinette raised her hand tentatively. “You don’t necessarily need to find someone who speaks the same languages you do, you just need to understand that they are expressing themselves in the way that speaks to their heart.”

“Wonderful! You all really sound like you took the lesson and applied it to yourselves. I’m so proud!”

“And not everyone receives the love they deserve,” Lila interjected. “If you have terrible parents, your friends need to step up and fill the void.”

“Friends can provide love, no matter the circumstances,” Ms Bustier responded, trying to soften the harsh tone of Lila’s words. “But being aware of what someone is going through is also important.”

Everyone glanced around the room, remembering past akumatizations and causes. They were all more aware of their friends’ traumas than they wanted to admit.

“With that in mind, let’s move on to lesson 3, which is a very different topic. Let’s talk about body image.”

Marinette glanced around the room. Why was everyone looking so panicked? Bodies were normal, and she genuinely thought every person in the room was beautiful in their own way. 

There was a mumble, and everyone turned to look at Juleka. She was simultaneously trying to sit up and say something and also shrink in on herself.

“I’m sorry, Juleka, I didn’t quite catch that. What did you say?”

“Does that include dysmorphia?”

“To a certain extent, yes. Mainly we want you to analyze how you feel about your own body, separate from how you think others see you. Your goal with your email partner is to identify three things you truly like about your body. Try not to pick yourself apart; everyone is self conscious about some aspect of their appearance, but you can do a lot of damage by focusing on elements you don’t like.”

“Can I ask what topic this will lead to?” Sabrina asked.

“We’re headed into gender discussions next, so it’s important to start with your identity as you feel and perceive it before looking at how to describe that feeling.”

\---------------

“Everyone reacted really weirdly to this lesson,” Marinette commented to Alya during lunch.

“Well yeah, it’s a touchy subject,” she answered. “This will be the best part about our email partner not knowing who we are; they don’t know what we look like so they can’t judge us.”

“That’s probably why they set it up this way,” Nino said as he pulled a piece off of his roll. “It’s harder to be judgey of someone’s appearance if you can't see them.”

“Are most people that self conscious, though?” Marinette asked, stabbing at a cherry tomato in her salad. “Like I don’t flaunt my body or anything but I wouldn’t change anything about it either.”

Marinette looked up, her fork stopped partway to her mouth, when she realized Alya was staring at her.

“Girl, do you realize how rare that is?”

“Really?”

“Media plays up awkward teen girl image issues constantly. You’re never thin enough, or pretty enough, or stylish enough, or-”

“Enough for who?” Marinette asked. “Who are you trying to impress?”

Alya stared at her for a moment before trying to answer. “The people you want to date! You have to look amazing to catch their eye!”

“But relationships are about your personality and stuff, right? Like you want to date someone who is a good person, appearance doesn’t tell you that.”

“You really bought the ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ line, didn’t you?” Alya sighed dramatically. “You’re a fashion designer, you know people want to look their best.”

“Yeah, because looking good makes you feel happy and confident, and people are drawn to those emotions.”

“It’s easy for you to say these things, Marinette.” Nino said.

“What do you mean by that?”

“You’re gorgeous,” he said. “Alya has said it too. You have a healthy body, great hair, stunning eyes-”

“Most of that is just luck, though,” Marinette said, confused. “Sure I eat healthy and exercise but I also landed good genes.”

“Most people don’t like how their body looks,” Alya said bluntly. 

Marinette glanced around the room again. She couldn’t believe what Alya and Nino were saying. How could most people go through their daily lives feeling uncomfortable in their own skin?

“Clearly I have a lot to discuss with my partner,” Marinette said simply.

“Yeah, and maybe more to discuss with me too,” Alya said. “No wonder you’re so freaking confident.”

“Is that bad?”

“No, just… different.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was a dancer in high school, so I was in really good shape when I was Marinette's age (not like Ladybug levels of in shape but quite healthy). Combine that with being asexual and not being aware of attraction in general and I ended up weirdly body confident for a teenager


	26. Tea

“Tikki, I’m really stuck on how to write this email.” Marinette had been staring at her school tablet for twenty minutes, completely at a loss for words.

“Ms Bustier’s assignment said to say three things about your body that you like,” Tikki reminded her. “That shouldn’t be too hard for you, right?”

“I thought it wouldn’t be, but like… My body is just a body. It does its job. If I had an injury or something that needed to be fixed I could see wanting to change it but like… the way everyone in class reacted makes me think I’m not normal here. I don’t want to make my partner feel insecure because I’m apparently more confident.”

“So find a way to say that,” Tikki coaxed. “The main point of this exercise is honesty. This is what you feel, so express it!”

“Ok, if you say so,” Marinette replied uncertainly. Before she could start typing, however, she had a notification that there was a new message in her inbox.

_ Today’s lesson was an abrupt move from emotions to physical, right? _

“See?” Tikki said, having flown over to read the message from her seat on Marinette’s shoulder. “They’re feeling awkward too.”

**That’s one way to put it for sure! I’m sorry if this discussion doesn’t go as well as the last ones, based on a few conversations at lunch today I had a very different reaction to the topic than my friends did.**

_ Oh? If it’s a sensitive topic I won’t pry into too much. I’m pretty comfortable with myself and I can do the bulk of the talking if that’s better for you. _

**Actually that helps. I don’t have any body image issues, if my friend’s comments are to be believed. My body is my body and does its job. I don’t think much else matters.**

_ I’ve spent my entire life getting feedback about my body. There are… standards that I am expected to reach. Health and appearance wise. It’s a family thing. I mean, my parents held themselves to crazy high standards when I was little so its not like they are making me do something they aren’t willing to do but the pressure can be a bit intense. _

**I’m so sorry. My parents just want me healthy, there’s no expectations beyond that.**

_ Based on conversations I’ve had before with others, and feel free to not answer if this crosses a line, but are you conventionally pretty? Like do people compliment your appearance? I find people who are naturally attractive don’t have the same issues as someone who was bullied for their looks. _

**Funny you should ask. I didn’t think people saw me that way, and then my friends described me as “gorgeous” in that conversation I mentioned, so… apparently yes. Like I think I have good days and bad days but there’s nothing about me that I wish was different.**

_ The world treats you differently when you look the way they want you to. It’s extremely unfair and biased but it’s super ingrained in our culture. Look at advertising- pictures of pretty people are used to sell everything, even when it doesn’t make sense. Like those ads for perfume that are just Adrien Agreste’s face. What does that tell you about the smell? Nothing! _

**I guess that’s true. I didn’t think people bought products because they were attracted to the people in the ads though, is that really a thing?**

_ According to my research, yes _

**Your research? Are you a future business major just waiting to take over the marketing world and make millions?**

_ Maybe? I don’t know about future career goals just yet, but I am more aware of marketing than most people. _

_ Also I’m pretty sure if they put Ladybug on an ad I would buy whatever it was, no questions asked. It could be a couch and I would have no choice but to buy it _

**...and I bet that is exactly why Ladybug has refused every advertising contract she has ever received…**

_ And how would YOU know that?  _

**Well I think it’s safe to assume that since she hasn’t been in any ads for anything. She literally just supported a charity thing and people lost their minds because she’s never done anything like that before.**

_ Oh, I saw that video. My classmates were beyond excited at the thought of winning the painting in the auction but I’m pretty sure a celebrity is going to have the money to outbid them all _

**That’s the point of the charity auction though, right? To raise the maximum amount of funds?**

_ Yes, yes it is. Also we are now WILDLY off topic so _

**Oops, you’re right. Ok, the assignment was to say three things we like about our bodies, so here we go: One, I like my hair. It’s pretty similar to my mom and I think she looks great. Two, I like my eyes. They’re a nice color and also my vision is good. Three, I’m decently strong. I can carry pretty heavy things, which comes in handy a lot. Now that I’m thinking about things I would change, I would appreciate it if I could feel a little more in control of my body, especially my legs. I hit a growth spurt unexpectedly and it threw my balance right out of whack. One time I was trying to climb over a bag to sit next to my mom on the metro and I hit my forehead with my knee. It was not cute.**

_ I disagree, that sounds adorable _

**It definitely was not. She called me her baby giraffe for like two months.**

_ I just snorted tea through my nose, I hope you’re happy now _

**Are you ok? Was it hot??**

_ I’m fine, I’ve been sipping the same cup of tea for like two hours so it was like room temperature but I did still manage to make a mess _

**I am SO SORRY**

_ No apology needed! Ok, getting back on topic AGAIN… My three things I like: One, I like my eyes, they match my mom. Two, I’m starting to like my height. I’ve been growing a lot recently and I’m enjoying being bigger because people are taking me a little more seriously. Three, I have really good reflexes so I can catch things. Does that even count? _

**I’ll let you count it, sure**

_ I’ll copy you again and add one thing I wish I could change. I wish I wasn’t hungry ALL. THE. TIME. It doesn’t matter if I just ate, I’m ready to eat again. My stomach is like a black hole and that’s super annoying. _

**That feeling sucks, yeah. I’ve had days where I’ve been super busy and when I sit down to eat I’m practically inhaling food.**

_ The other day, my father got so frustrated with me he made it a rule that I hate to chew each bite of food ten times before I could swallow. He counted. _

**My parents just laugh, make sure I’m not going to choke on my food, then get me more.**

_ So when am I coming over to your house for dinner? _

**Maybe when this project is over, bottomless pit XD**

_ You can count on it, baby giraffe… _

**Ha ha, very funny. I think we made some great progress tonight, but I want to chat with some friends at school this week. You and I seem to be on the same page which is not the page my friends were on, so more viewpoints may be needed here**

_ You’re right. I enjoy how similar we’ve been so far, but this is a bigger topic that I don’t have much experience with. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This topic will continue in future chapters for sure, we have only scratched the surface here! The comments on the last chapter really mean the world to me, I wasn't sure if I was the only person who felt like that and you all saying you related was very validating for me, thank you <3 On to notes!
> 
> -Being conventionally attractive comes with privilege. It shouldn't but it does  
> -Baby giraffe story is from when I was 15 and I tried to climb over my mom on a tiny airplane and hit my head on my knee SO HARD and my mom thought it was the funniest thing EVER  
> -Adrien snorting any drink through his nose is one of my favorite mental images ever, because you know Plagg will go nuts  
> -The food chewing rule is also a personal story. I was a competitive Irish Dancer in high school and would have like 4 hours of classes some days after school and would come home and inhale pasta and my dad genuinely thought I was going to choke


	27. Comments

Ladybug landed gracefully on the highest Eiffel Tower platform and smiled at her partner. “I love how we both say we don’t need to patrol as often and then keep ending up out here anyway,” she said with a laugh.

“If you have access to a view like this, it’s rude to not appreciate it,” he said. He smiled back at her, but it wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as usual.

“What’s up, buttercup?” she said, taking a seat next to him.

“Do you ever find out you think differently than everyone around you?” he asked, sounding more serious than she expected.

“Pretty regularly, actually,” she responded instantly. “That’s part of what makes me good at using Lucky Charms.”

“Not like that,” he said, shifting around as though he couldn’t get comfortable. “Do you find out there’s a topic people think about, like, a lot, and it wasn’t even a thought that occurred to you?”

“Depends on the topic, I guess?” she said, confused. “Do you mean like Ancient Egyptian history or something? Do all of your friends have weird hobbies?”

He gave her a side-eye glance. “...do you have friends who are into Ancient Egyptian history?”

She laughed. “I’ve definitely spent more time in the Egyptian exhibit in the Louvre than I ever would have on my own.”

“Oh,” he said with a quiet chuckle before getting serious again. “No, um, it’s more of a personal thing.”

“Like civilian identity thing?”

“No, it may have something to do with this actually. I don’t know how to explain without being awkward.”

“You have seen me at some of the most awkward points in my entire life, Cat Noir.” She playfully leaned over to bump his shoulder. “I promise not to laugh, if that helps.”

“Do you like your body?”

Ladybug sat back and stayed quiet for a moment. “Yeah, I like it well enough. Being a hero certainly means I don’t have to spend extra time exercising.”

“That’s good.”

“Are… do you not like your body?”

Cat Noir flopped dramatically backwards, splaying out on the floor like a starfish. “I don’t know. I know people are looking at me all the time and sometimes that makes it feel like I’m separate from my body somehow.”

“Like when we’re heroes?”

“That’s some of it. I mean, have you seen the comments online? These suits don’t leave much to the imagination and people seem to think they can say whatever they want from behind a screen.”

“I’ll be honest, I haven’t really looked.”

“I’ve seen everything from claiming I am what they call a ‘perfect specimen of a man’ to claims that I look undernourished. It’s impossible to make everyone happy.”

Ladybug laid back gently to join Cat Noir in stargazing. “This may sound cliche, but they don’t get a say in how you feel about your own body because they don’t live in it. You do.”

“I guess you’re right. I kind of feel the constant need to please people all the time. It’s kinda exhausting.”

“It sounds like it,” she said as she reached over and took Cat Noir’s hand in hers. “I like you because you’re my partner who always has my back. That has nothing to do with your appearance.”

He squeezed her hand. “Thanks, LB.”

\--------------

The next morning, Marinette made sure she had a few extra moments to chat with Alya before classes started for the day. “I have a question about the Ladyblog.”

“I might have an answer for you,” Alya answered with a wink.

“What’s your policy on comments about the heroes’ appearance?”

“People comment on when they show up all the time.” Alya looked at Marinette like she was crazy.

“No, I meant about their bodies,” she said more quietly as more students walked in.

“Oh, like our lesson for the week,” Alya said, nodding in understanding. “Well anyone being downright mean gets comments deleted and then they get blocked if it happens too often.”

“Ok,” Marinette said, noticing that Adrien had turned around to hear better but Nino was still listening to his music. “On the flip side though, some people are talking about how hot they are.”

“Well, yeah, that's because people have eyes, girl,” Alya laughed. “You can tell me over and over that you somehow aren’t attracted to either Ladybug OR Cat Noir, but most people aren’t you. Hell, some of us even appreciate both of them.”

Marinette started coughing, and Adrien jumped in his seat at the sudden sound. “What?” she managed to wheeze out. “You’re, like, ATTRACTED-attracted to Ladybug?”

“Did you think I was kidding when I said I was pansexual? The rest of the team isn’t half-bad either.”

To try and give herself a moment to recover, Marinette asked, “Even Rena Rouge?”

Alya froze for a second before laughing. “What can I say, she is one foxy lady.”

Marinette couldn’t do anything but stare at her, and she noticed from the corner of her eye that Adrien was moving his head to look back and forth like a cat watching a game of ping pong.

“How do you think they feel about people liking their bodies so much?”

“Are you kidding? It’s a huge compliment. They could probably date anyone in Paris that they wanted.” Alya turned and leveled a look at Adrien. “If Ladybug asked you out, would you say yes?”

Adrien froze and his eyes were wide. “Um, I, well, yeah, but, like, that’s not gonna happen, so…”

“As a model, do you like seeing what people say about you? It’s a compliment, right?” Alya asked, determined to prove a point.

“They don't really know me, so it feels a bit… superficial,” he said with a shrug.

“Did you really just ask him if he likes getting hit on by strangers on the internet?” Marinette asked Alya, trying not to show how bothered she was by the question.

“He’s the closest I can get to asking Cat Noir or Ladybug right now so yeah, I did.” 

“So you think they are ok with reading comments about their bodies on the Ladyblog?” Marinette wouldn’t let go of the point.

“It’s flattering. For the most part, anyway. I do delete comments about Ladybug that are clearly written by creepy old guys.”

“Do you do the same for the comments made about Cat Noir?” Marinette asked and tried to pretend like she didn’t hear Adrien gasp.

“That’s not the same though.”

“Yes, it is,” Marinette said firmly. “I think the comments in general are not called for, but creepy comments are not constrained by gender.”

“I guess you’re right,” Alya conceded. “I’ll take a look at it when I get home today.”

Marinette turned in her seat to focus on the front, as Ms Bustier would be starting at any moment. She couldn’t help but wonder if Adrien had gotten a sunburn on the back of his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I think Gabriel has conditioned Adrien to almost think of his body as a commodity, and sometimes that causes a disconnect. As Cat Noir, he is prone to using his body as a shield for Ladybug. I think there's a lot to unpack there...  
> -Marinette has been in the Egyptian exhibit several times on the show. On the other hand, it has had sections closed 3 of the 4 times I have been there...  
> -Creepy comments on the internet are sadly not limited to old guys towards young women. They still lead the pack but they don't have a monopoly  
> -I think Alya would make out with a Rena Rouge sentimonster just once out of sheer curiosity


	28. Sexy

The weather was nice, so when the time came for lunch all of the girls in the class decided to eat lunch together outside in the park. Well, most of the girls. Chloe and Sabrina went to the hotel every day without fail and Lila had an “important meeting” she had to handle. Marinette was careful not to show her relief when Lila loudly apologized for not being able to join the group.

Marinette popped in the bakery to grab some treats to share, so by the time she got to the park the other girls had already claimed an area in the shade. She happily passed around the bakery boxes, and happily bit into a pain au chocolat.

“Did anybody start their email discussions last night?” Alya asked the group as she unwrapped her sandwich.

“I did!” Rose squeaked. “I sent off my first message, hopefully they answer soon.”

“I’m still trying to write mine,” Mylene said quietly. “I’m trying to view my body the way someone else would, because otherwise I can’t come up with many nice things to say.”

“What do you mean?” Marinette asked, genuinely confused. “Your hair is amazing, you clearly love taking care of it. And your eyes are amazing!”

Mylene blushed. “Thanks, Marinette. Mostly I get frustrated by my body shape. I hate being so short, especially since Ivan is so tall. Most of the time we have to kiss on a flight of stairs so i can reach his face.”

“That’s adorable!” Rose said with her mouth full.

“Once or twice, sure. It gets old pretty fast. Also I get frustrated with my weight. My dad keeps saying I’ll hit a growth spurt soon and he thinks it will solve both issues.” She shrugged, looking unconvinced.

“Only time will tell, I guess,” Alya said, unsure of what else she could say.

“I can’t wait to be taller,” Alix said fiercely. “But the body I have right now is alright. I’m faster than Kim, and that’s what really matters.”

“iwishmybodyreflectedhowifeel” came a mumble from Juleka.

The rest of the group turned to look at their friend. Rose looked around at them all, and then leaned in. “Juleka, you know we all love you no matter what, right?”

“Yeah,” came the quiet answer. “I just don’t always feel much like a girl. I look like a girl, so sometimes that doesn’t totally match up.”

“Is that because of your body, or because of your thoughts?” Marinette asked, trying to understand.

“Depends on the day, I guess.”

The group focused on their food for the next ten minutes or so, unsure of how to move on. Before the silence could get too tense, however, Alya said, “I may not always be thrilled with my body, but I’m learning to like what I’ve got. Sure, it would be nice to be able to see things more than 5 feet away without my glasses, but they are stylish glasses. I have a funky toe on my left foot that should NOT see the light of day, but sneakers are the most comfortable shoes to wear when you chase down an akuma. So if a genie let me change things like that I would but I’m not going to get plastic surgery or something. Besides, my boy thinks I’m sexy so that’s all that matters to me!”

Marinette sat back and thought over what Alya said. She didn’t think someone finding her attractive was the only thing that mattered. Was she supposed to? Was she missing something?

“For what it’s worth, you are objectively pretty sexy,” Alix said with a laugh.

“Right back at you,” Alya responded with an over-dramatic wink.

Marinette couldn’t help but stare. Her friends looked at each other like that? Since when? Had she missed a memo or something?

“Honestly, every one of you is sexy in your own way,” Alya said, looking around to make eye contact with each and every person in the group. Rose giggled, Juleka looked away quickly, and Mylene just smiled. 

Marinette couldn’t help but stare at her best friend like a deer in the headlights. 

“I don’t mean anything creepy by it, girl,” Alya said, laughing and nudging Marinette’s foot with her own. 

“Oh, I know, I wouldn’t expect anything weird from you, and I guess it makes sense, you said you like Ladybug too so none of this should be a surprise or anything but-”

“Breathe,” Alya said, grabbing Marinette’s shoulders and giving them a gentle shake.

“Yep, right, breathing, breathing is good,” Marinette continued to babble. “Everything is normal and I am totally comfortable and-” Marinette’s rambling was interrupted once again, but this time it was Alya shoving a macaron in her mouth.

The rest of the girls laughed and started packing up their bags. Marinette decided to stay quiet as they all walked back to the school, and watched as her friends interacted with each other, seemingly perfectly at ease. She still couldn’t understand that apparently there was something fundamentally different about the way some of them viewed her.

Marinette slid into her seat behind Adrien and hardly reacted to his smile as she passed. He turned, glanced at her face, and asked, “Hey Marinette, are you ok?”

“I called her sexy and she had a meltdown,” Alya said with a chuckle. 

“Are you bothered by that?” Adrien asked Marinette gently.

“It just came as a shock I guess, that’s all,” she mumbled back.

“Why would that be a shock?” he asked. “You’re beautiful, Marinette, anyone can see that.”

Alya looked like she was watching her favorite tv show and Nino was trying to smother his laughter with his hands.

“Um, thank you,” she said, blushing a crimson red.

“Beautiful and sexy aren’t exactly the same thing, Mr Model,” Alya teased.

“...they aren’t?” Adrien asked, skeptical.

Before Alya could humiliate Marinette any further, Ms Bustier called the class to order. That certainly didn’t stop Alya from scribbling out a note and shoving it across the desk.

_ He thinks u r hot!! _

Marinette rolled her eyes.

**No, he doesn’t. You said it yourself, beautiful and sexy are not the same thing. You call art beautiful, you call a flower beautiful, you do not call those things sexy**

Marinette shoved the note back over and went to work pointedly taking notes and refused to let Alya distract her again for the rest of the day.

Finally, the class was over and everyone packed their bags to leave. Marinette was studiously ignoring every eyebrow wiggle Alya attempted to throw her way and frantically gathering up her belongings. Before she could escape, however, Adrien turned around.

“Hey, Kagami wanted to know if you wanted to hang out tomorrow. Are you free?” he asked, looking genuinely hopeful.

“With the two of you?” she asked.

“Yeah, and Luka could come too, if you want.”

“Um, I guess I can ask him. Sure, I should be able to go.”

“Great!” he said excitedly. “I had so much fun at the Louvre with you guys, I’m sure this is gonna be just as much fun!”

Before she knew what was happening, Adrien had grabbed her in a fierce but quick hug before darting out of the room. Marinette was left laughing, as she was either going to laugh or cry at the jumble of emotions the brief moment had managed to stir up. She felt a nudge at her hip through her purse which snapped her out of the moment. She silently resolved to thank her kwami later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pride month be ending but this story certainly is not!


	29. Yellow Rose

Marinette was dying to get home and write out an email to her project partner about the day’s events, but an akuma struck before she could cross the only street that separated her school from her home. With an exasperated sigh, she ducked down a nearby alley way to transform.

She didn’t even find out the name of the akuma. Instead, she channeled all of her frustrations of not understanding how everyone else’s minds worked and nearly had the akuma under control by the time Cat Noir arrived. He was impressed, as it had only taken him around 5 minutes to find an exit and transform. 

Cat Noir provided the perfectly timed distraction Ladybug needed to snatch the necklace from the akuma and break it. She purified the akuma and cast the Miraculous Cure in a huff and started to stomp away. Cat Noir managed to catch her arm, and when she spun around to look at him he could see the anger and hurt in her eyes.

“Usual time, usual place?” he asked softly.

She took a deep breath, which helped relax her shoulders just a little. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. Thanks.” With that, she took off.

Cat Noir helped the victim regain her bearings, all the while analyzing Ladybug’s behavior. What could possibly have her so wound up?

\-------------

Tikki munched on her cookie in silence as Marinette paced around her room.

“Why do I feel like I’m missing something?” she asked. “When did everyone start looking at their friends in a… sexual way?”

“That is fairly common for human behavior, in my experience,” Tikki said gently.

“Then what’s wrong with me?” Marinette asked back, on the verge of tears.

“There’s nothing wrong with you!” Tikki soothed, flying over to nuzzle Marinette’s cheek.

“I don’t like feeling like I’ve been left behind,” she said quietly. She sat down and opened her email on her school tablet. 

**So my friend group discussed the body lesson today during lunch…**

_ How did it go? I haven’t had the chance to talk to anyone else yet. _

**It was… not great. Turns out more people have issues with their body than I realized, which hurts because they are all amazing and shouldn’t be worried about their physical appearance. But then… one person said their partner found them sexy so that was all that really mattered. That made me feel a little weird, but like if that’s what works for them then that’s fine, it’s not my life or anything. But then the discussion shifted and everyone was calling everyone else sexy and I didn’t know that was a thing any of them even thought about and it hit me like a freight train. They all look at their friends and classmates and think about… doing stuff with them? Why??**

_ That is a lot to unpack. Um, I’m going to try to handle this one sentence at a time. Yeah, body image issues are really common in people our age, and on top of that the whole business world knows this and really takes advantage of it for profit. I guess that person was saying that the people who care for them aren’t super focused on their appearance so that’s good, I think? Wow, everyone in the group? That seems like a lot. I don’t look at people like that either so I am just as lost as you are. _

**Really? I kinda felt like I was the only one who felt like this**

_ Nope, you’re not alone <3 I am gonna hang with some friends tomorrow, I’ll try to be subtle and see what they think because they’re not all students here so they won’t have the context. _

Marinette took a few deep breaths. Maybe she wasn’t totally alone in this. Maybe someone else viewed the world from the same angle.

She set to work on her homework, getting it finished just as her mother called her down to dinner. Tom told a wild story he had heard from one of their regulars today, so Marinette didn’t have to contribute much to the conversation. She spent a little while after dinner straightening up her room, killing time before her parents were asleep and she could easily go meet up with Cat Noir.

Luckily, the evening didn’t drag out too long and she found herself flying over the streets of Paris. It felt good to move freely and just think about the motions. She landed at their usual spot, and was surprised to see Cat Noir had a gift for her.

“For you, my lady,” he said with a deep bow before presenting her with a yellow rose.

“You’ve never given me a yellow rose before,” she said, taking it gently.

“It means friendship,” he said as the both sat down facing each other. “You seemed like you needed a friend today more than anything else.”

“You’re too sweet, Cat Noir,” she said, smelling the rose. “And very observant.”

“I assume it’s a civilian thing, so I won’t push, but you clearly need to talk through something.”

“I, uh, hit a processing error today.”

“What?” he laughed.

“I found out my friends think I’m sexy and I don’t know what to do with that.”

“Your friends think Ladybug is sexy or civilian you is sexy?”

“UGH,” she groaned, “Both! Apparently I’m attractive no matter what!”

“I can’t help but agree with that,” he said with a wink. “You  _ are  _ beautiful.”

“Beautiful and sexy are not the same thing!” she shouted with a bit more force than was necessary. She cleared her throat before continuing. “Sorry, clearly that is a sore spot.”

“I’ll say,” he laughed again to try and break the tension. “So people think you’re sexy. Is that a bad thing?”

“Technically no, I just don’t know what to do with that.”

“There’s not anything for you to do. You don’t control other people.”

“I just don’t see it! Why do people think Ladybug is sexy? I’m a kid swinging around in what looks like a pajama onesie! I fight akumas! What does my appearance have to do with my job?”

“They say stuff about me too, but my suit is a little more dramatic, I guess.”

She stopped, forgetting that the person she was ranting to was in the same boat that she was, “Does it bother you to know strangers look at your body and judge it?”

“I got over that a long time ago,” he said evasively. “Besides, other people’s opinions of Cat Noir’s looks don’t matter, just your opinion of me.”

She stared at him. “Am I supposed to look at you that way? Am I supposed to look at anybody that way?”

“I don’t think it’s a ‘supposed to’ situation. I didn’t mean to tease too much, I swear.”

“It’s not you,” she said with a sigh. “I just hate feeling like I’m missing information. It’s so important for me to be a step or two ahead of things as Ladybug, so when something sneaks up on me it really messes with my head.”

“You put a lot of pressure on yourself. I totally get why, but it can’t be healthy in the long run.”

“What choice do I have?” she asked, starting to cry. “I’m the Guardian. I’m Ladybug. I’m your partner. I’m a daughter. I’m a student. I’m an artist. I’m a human. I can’t just stop any of those things, and I wouldn’t want to, but it’s all so much!” With that, she burst into full sobs. 

Cat Noir put his arms around her and pulled her into his lap, and she cried into his chest. She didn’t even know all of the reasons she was crying, but here she was. She faintly noticed a low rumble that seemed to be coming from him.

“Are you,” she sniffled, “are you purring?”

“Um, yeah, I think so,” he said, sounding a little embarrassed. “I read once that cat purrs are at a frequency that helps with healing, so I guess it’s my way of trying to make you feel better.”

She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tight. “I wouldn’t be anything without you.”

“I don’t think so. I have seen how amazing you are, day in and day out, and nothing can take that away from you.”

“I can only keep up with everything right now because I have your support.”

“You can always count on me,” he said softly.

They stayed like that for a little while longer, but Ladybug eventually stood up. “Well, I always need to sleep after I cry, so I definitely need to head to bed.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Cat Noir said, standing up and stretching. “Don’t hesitate to reach out if you get frustrated by your friends again, ok?”

“Ok,” she said with a smile. “Thank you for being who you are, Cat.”

“Thank you for accepting me, Ladybug.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That LadyNoir just snuck in somehow I don't know how that happened


	30. Double

Marinette woke up to a response from Luka. She did manage to ask him about joining to hang out after school, and he agreed. Marinette decided she would also see how much Luka knew about Juleka’s reaction to the week’s assignment.

Knowing she would be going straight from school to socializing, she wanted to go a little outside her normal outfit range. Because it was March and the air was still colder than she would like, she picked some fleece lined leggings in a maroon color and an oversized sweater that hung like a dress on her. Her black boots that she had last worn for skydiving pulled the whole look together.

Because the sweater was a turtleneck, she decided to wear her hair up in a high ponytail rather than her usual style to keep it from rubbing on the knit material and fuzzing her hair. A light touch of makeup and she was ready to face the day!

Unfortunately, she was ready about ten minutes later than she needed to be. She grabbed a croissant as she frantically hurried to school, and slid into her seat with only moments to spare. She panted as she unpacked her bag and resisted the urge to shove the entire croissant in her mouth at once.

The morning classes passed in a blur, and before Marinette knew it they had made it to lunch. Before Adrien left, he rushed to give her a hug. 

“I didn’t get the chance to do that earlier, you were in such a rush this morning!” he laughed.

Marinette couldn’t remember hugging him in the mornings. Afternoons as they left the school, sure, but before class in front of everyone?

“Yeah, well, you know me, running late to everything,” she mumbled, relaxing after Adrien stepped back from the hug.

“Is Luka joining us later?” he asked politely.

“Yes, he is! Did Kagami decide where she wanted to go?”

“Yeah, she picked the Trocadero steps, since it’s the easiest place for everyone based on their school locations.”

“Great, that makes sense!”

“I have to go home, but I am really looking forward to this afternoon!” He flashed her a bright smile before taking off.

She decided to also go home for lunch, as she did not bring money or food with her in her rush that morning. Besides, it was nice to eat at home every so often so Tikki could get a break from hiding in her purse.

She entered through the bakery’s main entrance to say hello to her parents and remind them she was not coming straight home after school.

“Who will you be with?” Sabine asked. Other teens might have felt that the question was invasive, but Marinette knew it was because her mother liked being up to date on her daughter’s social life.

“Adrien, Kagami, and Luka,” she said, giving her mother a hug and picking a cookie from the display case.

“A double date? I thought you broke up with Luka,” he mother said, confused.

“Um, yeah, well Adrien asked me to join him and Kagami and asked me to ask Luka, so I did,” she explained awkwardly. “Adrien and Luka know each other from Kitty Section rehearsals.”

“Oh, I guess that makes more sense.”

“I’m going up to eat now, love you!” Marinette said as she left

“Love you too, dear!”

Marinette kicked off her boots as she headed toward the kitchen. She started by getting Tikki a treat, and then dug around in the fridge. Since becoming Ladybug, she had found she was hungry all the time. She ended up cutting up an apple and dipping it in a mixture of peanut butter and honey and snacking on that while continuing to look for other food options. By the time she was eating the last of the apple, she had mixed some butter and cheese into some leftover pasta and popped it into the microwave.

One of the things Marinette appreciated about Tikki was the ability to have moments of quiet companionship. There were times that Marinette just needed a break for conversation with everyone, and Tikki always seemed to know when she was feeling that way and gave her the peaceful break she needed.

After she cleaned her dishes and made sure everything was put away, Marinette turned to see her kwami watching her with a smile. 

“What are you smiling at?” she asked, amused by the kwami’s observation.

“I’m just imagining you as an adult,” Tikki said. “You may be one of my youngest Chosens, but you are already very mature for your age.”

Marinette was touched by the compliment. “I don’t always feel like it, but thank you.”

“You’re very welcome,” Tikki said sweetly, giving Marinette’s cheek a snuggle before hiding away in her purse.

\-------------

The afternoon classes passed smoothly, despite Kim managing to melt a pencil during their time in the science lab. Before she knew it Marinette found herself walking beside Adrien on their way to meet up with Kagami and Luka.

“Thanks again for coming, Marinette,” Adrien said for the third time.

“Three thank yous are more than enough, Adrien,” she laughed.

“I don’t have a lot of experience at having friends, so I may need you to explain things like that to me occasionally.”

“What?” she asked, dramatically gasping and clutching at his arm. “Do you mean to tell me that Adrien Agreste is not one hundred percent perfect?”

He laughed at her reaction, a clear and full sound of joy that Marinette had not heard often. Maybe she would need to be sarcastic a little more often…

She let go of his arm, her joke over, and he bumped his shoulder against hers in a move that reminded her instantly of Cat Noir. In fact, the boys seemed to be pretty close to each other in height.

Before she could get too wrapped up in comparing the two, they arrived at their meeting place. Kagami and Luka were chatting casually, and Marinette reminded herself that Kagami had come to Kitty Section rehearsals a few times, so of course she knew who Luka was. 

Adrien gave Luka a hug as a greeting, the older boy seeming amused by the contact. There was a flicker of eye contact between Kagami and Luka that Marinette did not understand. Marinette gave Kagami a quick hug, knowing from past experiences that Kagami was not interested in prolonged contact. When she stepped back, she watched as Adrien and Kagami simply gave each other a nod. Was that their version of normal?

Marinette stepped over to greet Luka with a quick hug as well. “It’s good to see you, Marinette,” he said quietly. 

“You too,” she said just as quietly. She missed the puzzled look that Adrien gave them for the sedate exchange.

Kagami led them to a bench, and the girls took a seat while the boys stood in front of them. Well, Luka stood; Adrien seemed to be in constant motion, shifting from side to side and glancing around often.

“I want to thank you for your advice, Marinette.” Kagami sounded just as formal as she usually did, but the tone was warm.

“Which advice was that?” Marinette asked.

“Finding an artist to collaborate with as I gain writing skills. I have a student in my class who was looking for a similar arrangement, and it has been mutually beneficial to us both.”

“That’s wonderful!” Marinette cheered. “Have you been enjoying the writing process?”

“Yes, I have,” Kagami said with a twitch of the lips that might have been called a smile. “I enjoy the planning process involved. Outlines make the process seem much clearer than other forms of expression.”

“I know some people like planning bigger stories with notecards, so they can rearrange scenes and plot points visually.”

Kagami’s eyes lit up. “That is something I will need to try for myself. Clearly I should discuss this with you more often.”

“Marinette is a true artist,” Adrien said. “I’ve seen her excel in nearly every artform.”

“Nearly every?” Kagami asked.

“I haven’t seen her try everything yet,” he clarified. “I have yet to truly see her dance. The short time we danced together at Chloe’s party didn’t really count.”

“Trust me, no one needs to see me dance,” Marinette said with an awkward laugh.

“I beg to differ,” Kagami said. “It is similar enough to fencing, and you have shown promise in the sport.”

“As soon as I can make it through an entire day without ending up on the floor in a tangle of limbs, I’ll try it out.”

“I could try to write the perfect song for you, something that makes the movements feel natural,” Luka said.

“That would be amazing!” Adrien said with a smile. “I bet it’ll be a tune that’s really sweet. If you want piano chords with it, just let me know!”

“And writing lyrics would be an interesting writing challenge,” Kagami mused, “A strict pattern would make me think word choice over carefully which may lead to satisfying results.”

“It’s settled then,” Adrien said with an air of authority. “We’ll all make a song that makes Marinette feel like dancing.”

The girl in question couldn’t do anything but stare at them. She would never have imagined these three writing a song focused on her. What would that even sound like?

“While we’re here, I have a question for you two,” Luka said as he looked at Adrien and Marinette.

“Oh?” Marinette asked, still not fully recovered from the previous topic.

“What was the project lesson for this week?” he asked.

“Being aware of our bodies, why?” Adrien asked, confused by the question.

“Juleka’s having a hard time with it, isn’t she,” Marinette answered softly. She turned to Kagami to explain. “I don’t know how much Adrien has told you, but we are doing a big project at school right now where we work through personal lessons with an anonymous email partner. The first week was looking at who we love in our lives, the second was love languages and how we express ourselves, and the third was just what he said, thinking about how we feel about our own bodies.”

“That is an incredibly delicate topic,” Kagami said.

“Exactly. The first two weeks were ok, but this week has seen a lot of different reactions from everyone.” Marinette turned to be able to see Adiren and Kagami at the same time. “Yesterday at lunch, Juleka said she doesn’t always feel comfortable in her feminine body.”

“It sounds like there are several factors at play, here,” said Kagami with a contemplative expression. “Bodies are like badly designed machinery. It doesn’t take much for them to work less than acceptably. Recently I discovered that I am allergic to cherries. There is no reason for that.”

“Are you comfortable with yourselves?” Luka asked. “I just want to try and understand how she’s feeling. I’ve never felt weird in my own skin, but I’ve never but too much thought into it either.”

“I have to maintain myself for my job,” Adrien said with a shrug. “Same as the clothes I wear for photoshoots.”

“You are more than a clothes hanger, Adrien,” Marinette said. “You are a person and deserve to be treated as such.”

“As they say, ‘I don’t need no degree to be a clothing hanger’.”

At this, Kagami and Luka started laughing hysterically, which left Marinette incredibly confused. “That’s not funny,” she said, staring at the other two who continued to laugh.

“Have you not seen that on the internet?” Adrien asked.

“Seen what?”

“Oh, you are not familiar with the joke. Luka, how could you let her miss that?” Kagami asked as she slowly calmed down. 

“Adrien was the one who showed me in the first place!” Luka said, pretending to be offended.

“And he got it from me,” Kagami said. “So why did you not complete the chain and show it to her?”

“Maybe because I hardly ever get to see her?” Luka asked back.

There was a sudden silence that was incredibly tense. Adrien looked at Marinette, who was about to curl into a ball on the bench, and then looked at Luka. “Aren’t you dating?”

“No, we never made it official and then it became clear that it never would be,” Luka said simply.

“I apologize,” Kagami said. “I should not have assumed.”

“Just because you and Adrien are dating does not mean this is a double date,” Luka said quietly.

“We’re not dating either,” Kagami responded.

“What? Then how did we end up on a double date?” Luka asked with another laugh.

“Maybe these two need to learn to talk to each other,” Kagami said, glancing back and forth between Marinette and Adrien, who both looked mortified by the exchange.

“Well, now that this is sufficiently awkward,” Adrien said, his voicing cracking, “maybe we should go get a snack or something?”

There was a loud boom and a puff of smoke in the distance. “Or something,” Marinette said. “I have to go check in with my parents, sorry this got so awkward, have a good day, BYE!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I didn't mean to make that conversation SO AWKWARD but here we are  
> -They didn't end up actually talking about Juleka much  
> -Yes, Adrien is quoting a Vine  
> -Occasionally, akuma attacks are helpful XD


	31. Meme Concierge

Marinette got home after the akuma battle and proceeded to flop on her back in the middle of her floor. Tikki giggled at her dramatic sprawling.

“I’ve never been more grateful for an akuma,” Marinette said with a groan. “That was hands-down one of the most awkward conversations of my entire life.”

“Look on the bright side,” came a giggle. “You’re still young, you have plenty of time to embarrass yourself even more later!”

“That’s not a bright side, Tikki!”

“I know it was uncomfortable, but all things considered it could have been far worse, trust me. No one was angry or upset. It was a simple misunderstanding, not deliberate lies.”

“I guess I’m not as comfortable with Adrien as I thought if we could mess this all up like this.”

“You have an easier time talking to him through text messages, maybe you should try that,” Tikki said, flying over to Marinette’s purse and tugging out her phone.

“Maybe tomorrow,” Marinette said, refusing to move.

“Well he texted you first, so I would recommend answering him.”

“Why does he have to be such a gentleman?” she whined as she scooched across the floor to reach her phone.

_ AA: I want to start by apologizing, I never meant to deceive you about me and Kagami _

_ AA: We didn’t really work as a couple, but she’s a great friend _

_ AA: And I didn’t mean to make you feel obligated to invite Luka _

_ AA: And if you like I can send you more memes and such so you know what jokes I’m referencing _

_ AA: Kagami takes meme hunting SUPER seriously and sends me the best stuff _

_ AA: Well, some of it is great. Some of it is just plain weird _

**MDC: No need to apologize, I didn’t tell you I broke up with Luka so I think we can call that even**

**MDC: Kagami is a great friend, and so is Luka**

**MDC: I hardly ever have time to find memes so I would love it if you shared the ones you like**

**MDC: Alya only ever sends me ones that are about the heroes**

**MDC: And I want to know what Kagami thinks qualifies as funny**

_ AA: It’s settled then, I will be your meme concierge _

_ AA: If there are any topics you want me to avoid just let me know _

_ AA: I discovered Luka doesn’t like videos where people smash guitars the hard way _

**MDC: I’m sure he was horrified lol**

_ AA: That’s almost an understatement _

_ AA: He responded with a video of a piano falling during transit and I nearly cried _

**MDC: Oh no!!**

_ AA: That’s what I said _

**MDC: I feel bad that we didn’t end up actually talking about Juleka, since that was the main reason Luka wanted to talk with us**

_ AA: I wouldn’t have had much to contribute to that conversation anyway _

**MDC: In that case, I’ll see what other questions Luka had and answer them**

_ AA: How are you so good at being friends to people? _

**MDC: What do you mean?**

_ AA: You keep supporting people even when you don’t have to _

_ AA: You’re making sure Juleka’s brother understands her issues so she has his support _

**MDC: I just wish I could do more for her**

_ AA: She felt pretty confident wearing your designs, right? _

**MDC: You’re right… Maybe I should design outfits that make them all feel their best!**

_ AA: Maybe don’t bite off more than you can chew there, Marinette _

Marinette’s focus on her phone was broken by her kwami’s laughter. “Oh that’s funny, is it?”

“Yes, he clearly knows you well enough to know you’re about to get carried away!”

**MDC: I do what I want! ...but maybe that would be a little too much**

_ AA: Again, that’s what makes you such a great friend _

“Marinette, dinner’s ready!”

**MDC: I have to go eat dinner, but thank you**

**MDC: I’m sure we’ll talk more tomorrow at school too**

_ AA: If I’m really lucky, you won’t be running late and I can actually talk to you before class _

**MDC: :-P**

Marinette plugged her phone in to charge before heading downstairs. Her parents had already finished getting the table set, so she filled her water cup and took her seat.

“How was your double date?” Sabine asked.

“Double date?” Tom asked, confused. “Who are you dating now?”

“About that,” Marinette said sheepishly. “It turns out Adrien thought I was still dating Luka, and I thought he was still dating Kagami. During the conversation, we realized that no one was actually dating and it was pretty awkward.”

“Was that what caused the akuma we saw on the news earlier?” Tom asked, concerned that his daughter had been anywhere near a battle.

“No, the akuma was actually how we were able to end the conversation right then and there without it getting any weirder.”

“So why did you all agree to meet up?” Sabine asked.

“Kagami hardly ever gets to spend time with friends, so she tries to include both me and Adrien when she can to maximize her social time. Adrien asked me to ask Luka, because he thought we were dating and didn’t want to leave Luka out. Kagami wanted to talk about her writing since I gave her advice, and Luka wanted to ask me and Adrien a few questions about Juleka as her classmates.”

“That all makes sense, actually,” Sabine said with a smile. 

“Why was Luka asking you about his sister?” Tom asked.

“We’re doing this school project about personal topics, and we were discussing being aware of our bodies and liking ourselves the way we are, and it turns out Juleka is struggling with her body image.”

“The poor dear,” Sabine muttered. “I’m glad her brother is paying attention.”

“I am too,” Marinette said. “I want to help her but I don’t want to make it more uncomfortable either.”

“If she thinks you can help, she knows to ask, right?” asked Tom.

“I believe so, but I’ll be sure to remind her.”

“That’s my girl.”

\----------

Marinette found an email waiting for her from her partner. 

_ Ok, I might have to give up on talking to other people about this week’s lesson. It came up today and it ended up overlapping with another topic and the whole thing got super weird. _

**You and me, both. At the end of the day, we both seem to be happy in our bodies, and that’s what really matters, right?**

_ Right! I hope the next lesson doesn’t get as awkward. _

**I’m not going to hold my breath on that...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Inserting some Kagami headcanons that she studies memes to fit in better socially and overdoes it  
> -It's getting hard to remember what stuff has been discussed between Adrienette, Email Partners, and LadyNoir and also not be repetitive


	32. Sweetest

Marinette couldn’t help but think that Thursday mornings were the worst. It wasn’t far enough into the week for the end to be in sight, but she was exhausted from all of the previous days. This week in particular had felt like it was dragging. Between the unsettled feeling leftover from the project lesson and the amount of time she had spent out as Ladybug, all Marinette wanted to do was sleep for another 8 hours.

“If you get up now, you’ll be able to chat with Adrien like he wanted. You could even bring him some treats from the bakery!” Tikki said in a cheerful voice.

“You just want me to get up so I can smuggle you some fresh cookies straight from the oven.”

“...that would also be a nice start to the morning, yes,” Tikki laughed.

“Ugh, fine, but only because I love you,” Marinette muttered as she dragged herself out of her nice warm blanket cocoon.

She was grateful that she had gotten her morning routine down to a well-rehearsed dance, leaving her time to mentally adjust to being awake. She dressed in her usual clothes, brushed her hair and teeth almost mechanically, and grabbed her already-packed backpack before heading down the stairs ahead of schedule.

“Would you look at that, is today a holiday?” Tom teased as she entered the bakery and started packing a box to take with her.

“Very funny,” came the sleepy reply.

“Careful, dear, the last time you packed a box while tired you ended up taking nothing but cheese danishes!” Sabine laughed.

“Adrien was oddly excited to take the leftovers home that day,” Marinette responded, thinking back to that occasion and making sure she grabbed just 2 cheese danishes this time.

“That boy just needs more food in general,” Tom commented from the back, where he was putting the next loaf into the oven.

“I know, that’s part of why I’m bringing this box,” Marinette said. “He said his dietitian is letting him eat more because he’s losing weight instead of gaining it.”

“A dietitian?” Sabine asked. “He’s a teenage boy, they’re just human vacuums when it comes to food.”

“He’s a model, and models can’t be underweight here,” Marinette reminded her mother. 

“I guess you would know, oh great fashion guru,” Tom said as he gave his daughter a bear hug.

After a few more teasing comments, Marinette headed to school armed with baked goods and more time than usual.

What she didn’t expect was for Adrien to light up at the sight of her coming through the door. Her previous reason to stop throwing herself at him was his relationship with Kagami, but that reason was no longer valid. She had to mentally pinch herself and remember that the reason she hadn’t dated Luka was because she didn’t have time to do so. The thought of trying to find time in Adrien’s jam-packed schedule that lined up with her own hectic schedule was sobering enough to make her not melt into a puddle right there at his feet.

“Who’s hungry?” she asked rhetorically.

“My bro is always hungry,” Nino said with a laugh. “And hey, I could eat.”

“You are a literal lifesaver, girl,” Alya said as she snagged her favorite, the eclair Marinette had made sure was right on top.

“You’re the sweetest,” Adrien said with a wink.

Alya was watching Marinette, ready to cover for her if she looked like she was going to pass out from the compliment. However, Marinette was too busy hearing the same joke from a different blonde.

“Takes one to know one,” Marinette said with a wink of her own. 

Adrien’s face flushed as he stared at her, not expecting such a Ladybug-like response. He didn’t have time to process it before realizing that Alya was apparently choking on her pastry behind him. Nino jumped up and started pounding on Alya’s back, who was now just coughing dryly. Marinette dug through her bag and pulled out her water bottle. Alya gratefully accepted it and chugged half the bottle.

“I’ll refill this for you later,” Alya said as she handed it back.

“Thanks,” Marinette said with a sweet smile.

“Marinette, I may need you to not wink again for the rest of the day, apparently mere mortals cannot handle the power you wield,” Adrien said, trying to seem cool and over-correcting straight into Cat Noir territory.

“And where’s the fun in that?” she sassed back, unconsciously falling into the pattern without recognizing it for what it was.

“Marinette, you were early to class and now you’re flirting, did you get akumatized?” Alya asked as a joke, her voice still a little hoarse.

Both Marinette and Adrien gave her wide-eyed stares. “I’m not flirting!” they shouted in unison. This made them stare at each other, and Nino couldn’t contain his laughter.

“What shifted between yesterday and today?” Nino asked. “This dynamic is weird, right babe?”

“You said it,” Alya answered. “Adrien got a personality and Marinette found her voice.”

“Excuse you, I’ve always had a personality,” Adrien said, sounding a little miffed. 

“And I’ve always had a voice, I’m the freaking class president!” Marinette said with a flail of her arms.

“Not around each other you haven’t,” Alya pushed. 

“We’ve entered a new phase of our friendship,” Marinette explained. “I bring him food, and he sends me memes.”

“Are you saying my memes aren’t good enough?” Alya gasped.

“Tell me the last time you sent me one that wasn’t Ladybug or Cat Noir,” came the deadpan response.

Nino and Adrien both laughed as Alya unlocked her phone and scrolled through her messages.

“If I have to find an entire Tumblr account dedicated to pictures of Cat Noir’s butt, you have to be made aware of it as well.”

“...do I?” Marinette asked with a sigh.

“There’s a Tumblr dedicated to WHAT?” Adrien asked, shocked by the revelation.

“Oh, you stick to the Ladybug side of Tumblr, don’t you? Yeah, there’s quite a lot of fans of Cat’s ass-ets, if you catch my drift.”

Marinette reflexively reached out to swat her best friend. “You are hopeless, Alya.”

“At least I don’t hoard photos of my crush in my room,” she said with a shrug.

Marinette and Adrien both flushed, thinking about their own photo stashes at home.

At this point, more of their classmates had made it to class and most of them were enjoying a treat from Marinette. Sabrina had made it to class before Chloe, so she was frantically cramming a croissant in her mouth before her friend arrived and scolded her for enjoying it.

“If you want more memes, I have some you might like too,” Nino offered.

“I would enjoy that, thank you,” Marinette said with a smile, happy to have the conversation steered back to more comfortable topics.

“Kagami sends me some good stuff with some weird stuff mixed in, so I can’t wait to figure out what stuff you enjoy,” Adrien said with a smile. “And don’t feel bad about making any topics off limits.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

\------------

The rest of the day went smoothly, and Marinette was working on homework at her desk when her phone lit up next to her. Seeing that it was a notification from Adrien, she opened it immediately. 

It was a link that said it was a kitten video. Marinette smiled and clicked on it. She was incredibly confused when, instead of a kitten, it was a music video in English. It seemed to be from the 80’s based on the quality and style, and from what she could catch he was saying he would never give someone up.

**MDC: Hey, did you send the wrong link? That wasn’t a kitten, it was a music video**

_ AA: You’ve been rickrolled! _

**MDC: I don’t understand?**

_ AA: ...you don’t know that joke? _

_ AA: Oh, we have more work to do than I thought... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I had a friend GLEEFULLY show me that there is an entire Tumblr dedicated to Gene Kelly's butt, despite knowing I'm ace. Combine that with the way people worship Captain America's butt, and you can't convince me people wouldn't obsess over Cat Noir the same way  
> -I couldn't resist a classic XD


	33. Seven Bases

Friday had finally arrived, and Marinette could not be more thankful. Granted, there was always the chance an akuma would come along and mess with her day, but the promise of the weekend was still enough to keep her cheerful.

She made it to school with a few minutes to spare, and counted that as a win. Not so late she was running to get there, not so early that she had missed out on any precious minutes of sleep.

“Good morning!” was the only warning Marinette heard before she found herself lifted off the ground in a hug from behind. She couldn’t stop herself from giving out a squeak of surprise, arms and legs flailing wildly. In the process, she managed to whack Nino in the face when he tried to get around the chaos.

“I’m so sorry Nino!” Having heard the voice behind her a second time, she realized it was just Adrien. The first time, she could have sworn he’d sounded like Cat Noir…

“That was uncalled for,” she said when her feet finally returned to the floor, and she tugged at the edge of her shirt to unwrinkle it.

“Oh, was that too much? I’m sorry, Marinette, I-”

“Just a little warning next time would be appreciated, so I don’t end up hurting anyone,” she interrupted with a laugh.

“That was the highlight of my day,” Alya said with a smirk as Marinette sat down beside her.

“Already? You’re in for a long day if the highlight was this early in the morning,” Marinette sassed back.

Before the good natured bickering could go any further, class began and the girls focused on their notes.

\-------------

Today they had gym class, and Marinette could not be less excited if she tried. Everything about the class drove her crazy. There was no way to hide Tikki in her gym shorts, so she felt exposed by not having her kwami as close as normal. She also had to try and play games in a way that still looked like clumsy Marinette and not agile Ladybug.

Once the class was assembled, they all looked around to see 4 gymnastics mats laid out in a diamond pattern around them. To add to this confusion, they realized they had a substitute teacher for the day.

“Hello, students!” the sub greeted them cheerfully. “I’m Ms Lee, and I will be handling your class today! I thought we’d play something special. First, we need to form two teams!” Before anyone could react, Ms Lee quickly counted them off into two teams who clumped on either side of her. Marinette found herself on a team with Adrien, Rose, Sabrina, Nino, Mylene, and Nathaniel. This meant the other team was Ivan, Juleka, Chloe, Alix, Kim, Max, and Alya.

“Now that you have your teams, I’m excited to tell you all what we’re playing today!” As she announced this, she bounced a large red rubber that made a resounding THWACK every time it hit the floor.

“That’s a dodgeball, but you’ve only got one,” Kim said.

“Thanks for point that out, Captain Obvious,” Chloe scoffed. 

“Not exactly,” Ms Lee said, not at all fazed by the interruption. “This is a kickball.”

“We’re playing kickball?” Max asked. “We’ve played that before.”

“You may have played kickball before,” she said with a devious smirk, “but you haven’t played seven base kickball.”

“...there are only four mats,” Rose pointed out, after spinning around to count them again.

“You counted the mats correctly, but the path is more complicated.” Ms Lee had the class’s full attention now. “You kick from over there,” she said, pointing to the mat behind them, “Then you run to the first mat, the second mat, the third mat, then run across to the first mat again, the second, the third, and back to the starting mat to complete the lap.”

Everyone stared at her, having followed her directions as she pointed to the mats in question but not believing her. 

“We have to cut across the entire middle, right in front of the pitcher, without getting hit?” Alix asked, trying not to betray her excitement at the concept.

“You’ve got it!”

The game was met with mixed reactions. Ms Lee clarified that because they were using full gymnastics they were allowed to leap, summersault, and dive to reach the base, but they were not allowed to steal bases.

With the directions outlined and the teams picked, it was time to start the game. The other team started as the kicking side, so Marinette found herself a spot between the second and third base and hoped desperately that nothing would come her way.

Alix was the first kicker, and Adrien was serving as their pitcher. He gave the ball a powerful underhand throw, and Alix kicked it with all her might. It shot toward Marinette as Alix ran as fast she could. Marinette reached out but the ball just grazed her fingertips. Rose ran from her spot behind second to catch it as Alix made a dramatic mid-air leap to bellyflop onto the first base mat.

“Oh, we’re playing like that, are we?” Adrien said with a laugh.

Kim was up next to kick, and Adrien managed to do a little wind up dance that had Kim fully prepared for the same pitch that Alix had gotten, so when Adrien gently tossed it Kim overshot his kick and ended up falling backwards. Everyone was too busy laughing to notice that Alix managed to get from first to second base in the chaos.

Ivan was their third kicker, and Adrien gave him a decent pitch. However, he kicked the ball the same direction that Alix had, meaning it came right to Marinette. To her surprise, she managed to catch it, but Alix had just slipped past her reach and tumbled on to the third base mat.

Juleka came up to kick next, and Adrien kindly gave her a slow pitch. She responded with a timid kick that returned the ball straight to Adrien, who managed to dive and tag Alix out before she could finish cutting across from third to first base. Now only Ivan was out on the bases for his team.

Max stepped up for his turn, and Adrien went for a standard pitch. Max kicked the ball well enough for him to get to first. Unfortunately for him, it was the same time that Ivan was coming across from third to first. The two collided with each other and fell in a heap on the mat before Sabrina could get a hold of the ball.

Only Alya and Chloe were left for their first attempt at kicking. Chloe sniffed with disdain and stepped forward. She locked eyes with Adrien, and called out, “Take it easy on me, Adri-kins, you know me after all.”

“Oh I know you, Queen Bee,” he muttered under his breath, so low that Marinette could barely catch it.

Adrien pitched the same way he had for Max, but Chloe shied away from the ball and tapped it with her toe with her eyes closed. She then sauntered toward first base, ignoring the boys who were running from first to second, Max hiding behind Ivan for cover.

Alya stepped up for her first kick. Ms Lee had explained that each round would play for 15 minutes, so the other members of the team were lined up behind Alya for their second kick.

Adrien gave Alya a smirk, which she happily returned. He pitched hard and fast for her, and she kicked it with all of her might. Unfortunately, she seemed to have the same aim as the rest of the team, and the ball was headed right for Marinette again. Her self-preservation instincts kicked in, and Marinette dived out of the way just in time to avoid taking a rubber ball to the stomach.

The rest of the round proceeded from there, with Ivan, Alix, and Alya each scoring a point for completing the full lap around the 7 bases. Kim’s second attempt at scoring had been pretty memorable; as the natural show-off that he was, he had attempted to do a cartwheel onto home base. Nino managed to throw the ball at Kim with such force and accuracy that it hit Kim’s arm as he was upside down, leading to him landing with a huff just short of the base and the accompanying point. Ms Lee ended up calling for a time-out after that, because the entire class was laughing so hard they couldn’t continue.

The time finally came to switch, and Ivan took over as pitcher. Marinette’s team lined up to kick, and she managed to work her way to the end of the line. Mylene was up first, and Ivan gave her a very gentle pitch that she kicked delicately before running at top speed to make it to the first mat. Even Ivan was impressed with her speed.

Rose was up next, and Ivan gave her the same pitch. Rose kicked fiercely at the ball, but she missed and had to go back to the end of the line, pouting all the way. Nino squared up to kick, and Ivan gave him a solid pitch. Nino kicked it soundly, but he only made it to the first base because Kim and Alix had collided when they both tried to be the one to catch the ball.

Sabrina stepped up and couldn’t help but glance nervously at Chloe, who was inspecting her nails and trying not to pay attention to anything happening around her. Ivan gave her the pitch he seemed to be reserving for the girls, and Sabrina landed a ferocious kick. Kim was so shocked he just stared, and missed his opening to grab the ball as it flew past his arm. This meant Sabrina and Mylene met up at the first base, but they managed to avoid a collision.

It was Adrien’s turn, and Marinette couldn’t help but admire the confident swagger he had as he got into the ready position. The thought was immediately followed by the observation that he really was quite skinny for his age and height. She couldn’t recall him looking quite so gangly even last month…

Ivan shot Adrien an impressive pitch, and Adrien responded in kind with a terrific kick. Nino made it to third, Mylene and Sabrina got to second, and Adrien reached first base. Nathaniel stepped up next, his nerves obvious as he looked around to see the bases were loaded and all eyes were on him. Ivan gave him a gentler pitch than he had for Adrien, but Nathaniel missed the kick and went to stand behind Rose. Luckily, all four teammates were able to make it back to their bases without being tagged.

It was finally Marinette’s turn. She stepped up and took a deep breath before making eye contact with Ivan. He nodded to her before throwing her the ball. It was about the same pitch he had thrown for Nathaniel. Unlike Nathaniel, though, Marinette kicked and her foot connected with the ball.

It connected a little harder than she anticipated because it flew across the room, hit Alix in the face, and then ricocheted across to hit Chloe as well. Marinette missed it because she was too busy running to first base, where she had to leap up at the last moment to avoid crashing into Nino who was diving below her to reach the mat. While in the air, she instinctively tucked her legs up and flipped so she landed gracefully on the mat in a ready stance. 

When she looked up, panting for breath, she found the whole room staring at her. Chloe was crying and already heading for the nurses office. Alix was laughing so hard she was nearly doubled over. Everyone else was looking at her with a sense of respect, Adrien in particular. Ms Lee blew her whistle and they all fell back into the game.

The other team didn’t seem to be bothered by the loss of Chloe. The round continued with Marinette, Adrien, Nino, and Sabrina all scoring a point. Ms Lee called them all together, telling them she was proud of how they had all committed to the game and given it their all. Before she could continue with her praise, there was an akuma alert. Everyone dashed for the locker rooms, Marinette leading the way. She headed straight for the bathroom, having prearranged it with her kwami because she was afraid something exactly like this would happen.

Ladybug managed to sneak out undetected and met up with Cat Noir a few blocks away. 

“Why does Hawkmoth have the WORST timing?” she asked, frustrated.

“Because he’s just the worst,” Cat Noir laughed.

“Ugh,” she groaned. “Let’s get this over with.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -7 base kickball with gym mats was the most fun I ever had in gym class  
> -The cartwheel story is true  
> -And so is the "dodgeball hits person A in the face and bounces off hard enough to hit person B" except in reality I was person A and it happened to me twice in one day  
> -This chapter was not in the original outline WHATSOEVER


	34. Swing

Friday evening found Marinette in a whirlwind of fabric. The weather had been slowly improving as it got closer to spring, and she had been hit with the desperate urge to make a cute new skirt. She didn’t have the time and money to get specialized fabric, so she had decided to use a plain blue satin she had left over from a previous project and was planning to practice her embroidery skills once the skirt was constructed.

Tikki was sitting near her school tablet, so when the notification sound went off it was Tikki who checked it. “Marinette,” she said, “it’s an email from your partner.”

“Oh, thanks, Tikki!” Marinette said, kicking herself across the room in her rolling chair.

“Your email partner can get you to take a break, but I can’t? I’ll have to remember that,” Tikki laughed.

“I was at a good stopping point,” Marinette mumbled back.

_ Who’s ready for the weekend? In a bizarre turn of events, I have nothing scheduled and I don’t even know what to do with myself _

**That’s such a good feeling! I’m drowning in a creative project that caught my focus like three hours ago. I’ve got plans for tomorrow, so I want to see how far I can get on this tonight.**

_ That’s great! Is it because you had a good day and you feel creative or you had a bad day that you’re trying to forget? _

**Today was pretty balanced in the good and bad luck department. I had fun in class but also accidentally hit three people in the face because I’m still stupidly clumsy so**

_ Three? Dang, that’s almost impressive _

**Almost?**

_ Yeah, I’ve got a friend who managed to take out six people in one go _

Marinette sat back. There was a day a few months ago where she had tripped getting off of the bus on a field trip and taken the rest of her group down with her. Was there a chance her email partner had been there that day? Logically she knew the chances were pretty good, but she didn’t want to think too closely about that.

**Your friend sounds quite talented actually. No, today’s incidents were spread out for the most part, and sadly so normal for me that no one really noticed.**

_ My friend is SO talented in like a million different ways, but I can’t brag without possibly giving away my identity. The second we get permission at this end of the project though, I am really looking forward to introducing you _

**You really want to know me after all of this? We’re admitting some embarrassing stuff to each other. I want to know you if you want to know me, but I didn’t want to assume anything.**

_ Are you kidding? You won’t be able to get rid of me after all of this. I don’t have a lot of people that I can trust, but you’ve made the list for sure _

Marinette couldn’t help but sigh. This poor person clearly just desperately needed more love in their life. She was a little intimidated at the thought, but the overwhelming urge to help drove her forward.

**Well then, I will be honored to be your friend in real life after we finish sorting out who we really are.**

Marinette was called down to dinner then, and enjoyed a quick meal with her parents. They had an event the next day they were catering for, so the meal was quick and simple so they could go pack to prep. Marinette hadn’t enjoyed salad night as a kid, but now that she had developed a love of several different salad toppings she enjoyed making a mountain of veggies.

As soon as cleanup was done, she dove back into her sewing project. The skirt had a wide white elastic waistband, and she was busy setting a zipper in the back when her phone played Alya’s special ringtone.

“Hey Alya, what’s up?” she answered, holding her phone to her ear with her shoulder. She wanted to get the zipper pinned properly before she set it down.

“I wanted to know if you wanted to grab lunch tomorrow! Nino got himself grounded so my plans for the day are shot.”

“Sorry, I’m babysitting Manon tomorrow,” Marinette replied. She didn’t know why she kept saying yes to Nadia Chamack, but she did.

“Oh bummer,” Alya whined.

“I need to keep saving up if I want to get that new organizing bin set!”

“Yeah, and you’ll overflow it ten minutes after you fill it and need a second one!”

“I have to start somewhere,” Marinette grumbled.

“I know, I know,” Alya soothed, knowing Marinette was sensitive to teasing about her fabric stash. “If by some miracle you end up free early, let me know. Otherwise, I won’t get to hang with you until my birthday next weekend.”

“Oh that’s right! What’s the plan for that?”

“We’re doing a sleepover at my place on Friday night with all of the girls, and then Nino says he has a birthday surprise planned for me on Saturday that involves you and Adrien as well.”

“It involves me?” Marinette asked, frantically trying to remember if she had agreed to do something for Nino. How could she forget to prep for her best friend’s birthday? She was the worst-

“Hey, woah, I can hear you panicking from here,” Alya laughed. “Take a deep breath, girl. He said he was handling the whole surprise, just that you and Adrien would come with us so I didn’t expect something romantic.”

“Oh ok,” Marinette said, breathing a sigh of relief. “I still want to ask him what we’re up to.”

“Good luck, the boy’s acting more sneaky than Hawkmoth.”

“...so he’s unleashing fashion disasters that scream about their goal?”

Alya laughed so hard she started to cough. Marinette rolled her eyes - what she said wasn’t THAT funny, it was just the truth. Some of the last few akumas had been such disasters in the looks department she had jokingly told Cat Noir they should call the fashion police and let them take a shot at Hawkmoth. Cat had laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes, but considering they had been fighting a midnight battle and they were both exhausted she had just assumed it was a sleep-deprived giggle fit.

“Ugh, this is why you’re my best friend. Ok, text me if you need back up with Manon tomorrow.”

“I appreciate that, thanks.”

They said their goodbyes, and Marinette went back to her sewing machine. If she could just get the last few seams done, the sewing part would be complete and all that would be left was the embellishments.

As much as she loved planning and putting together intense garments that pushed her technical skills and made a statement, sometimes it was fun to just knock out a simple concept in just one or two sessions.

“Ok, the last seam is done, it is time for sleep!” Tikki announced as Marinette trimmed the thread and held up the skirt. 

“If you insist,” Marinette teased, yawning as she turned off the sewing machine.

“You need all the sleep you can get before you take on Manon tomorrow.”

“Don’t I know it.” Marinette rolled her eyes as she changed into her pajamas. “Someday, she is going to grow up and mature and not be a human tornado. In the meantime, she’s just a handful.”

“You do a good job of setting an example for her,” Tikki said proudly.

“Thanks, Tikki.”

\--------------

“Higher! Higher!”

Manon had been swinging with Marinette pushing her for nearly an hour, and Marinette was feeling exhausted. She didn’t want to keep Manon inside when the weather was this nice, but outdoor activities just took so much energy.

“Need a hand?” came a quiet voice from behind her.

“Luka!” Marinette turned and greeted him with a smile. “What a surprise!”

“I didn’t get the chance to talk to you much about Juleka the other day.”

“Oh, you’re right! Um, I’m babysitting Manon right now, but-”

“I’ll take over pushing for a little bit, would that help?”

“Absolutely!”

Luka switched places with Marinette and gently pushed Manon as she swung happily back and forth.

“Here’s what I know,” Marinette said, jumping right into it. “She said she doesn’t always feel like she fits in her body. I think she struggles with not always feeling very feminine. She already has some dramatic features, like her height, that are really popular in the fashion world right now. But she doesn’t have the confidence that goes with that. I want her to feel like she is safe expressing however she feels, you know?”

“Well said,” Luka mused. “That goes along with the comments she’s made to me here and there.”

“I’m glad she is talking about it openly,” Marinette said. “Your mom has always seemed pretty accepting.”

“Our mom is pretty chill. When I came out to her as pansexual last year, she accepted it and never once made me feel like it was wrong.”

“I didn’t know that,” Marinette said quietly.

“I really don’t care what a person’s gender is, all that matters is the song in their heart.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”

There was a quiet moment between them, but before it could get awkward Manon jumped off the swing and grabbed Marinette’s hand. “I wanna ride the carousel!”

“The carousel it is then!” Marinette said happily, walking with the little girl to the other side of the park. Luka followed for a moment, before grabbing Marinette’s other hand.

“I have to go, I only had a moment to chat, but thank you for supporting Juleka through all of this.”

“Of course! What are friends for?”

“Not everyone is as good at friendship as you are, Marinette.”

With that, Luka left. Marinette followed Manon, climbing on the horse the child picked for them to ride. 

So many people had told her she was a good friend - Luka, Kagami, Adrien, Alya, Cat Noir, her email partner… She didn’t think she was doing anything particularly special, but the reactions of the people around her said that her level of care wasn’t normal. It hurt to know that there were so many people who just needed love and affection and support. That, for Marinette, seemed as easy to give as baked goods or hugs. She was only one person though, and she couldn’t help but wonder if there was a way for her to help more people feel better about themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -supplies mentioned for the skirt are all currently sitting on my dresser mocking my inability to sit down and make the damn skirt already XD  
> -I had kids that were nightmares to babysit and yet I just couldn't say no to their parents and eventually had to have my mom step in  
> -I really believe Luka is a wonderful brother to Juleka and I love a good supportive sibling dynamic  
> -Also please enjoy this pan!Luka headcanon


	35. Homework

Marinette decided that only an akuma would be able to get her to leave her room on Sunday. She had a skirt to embroider, a pile of homework to work through, and a lot of personal reflection to handle.

She was handling the homework one subject at a time. She had a backlog of smaller assignments she had consistently ignored, as well as the beginnings of the big projects to cap off the school year. Exams would be here before she knew it, and she had started to assume Hawkmoth would only continue to ramp up his attacks, leaving her with less and less time for her studies. What villain distracts kids from their education?

Marinette finished typing up a rough draft of her next big essay and kicked back from her computer, slouching in her seat. Being mature and deciding to use a weekend day for homework was not nearly as much fun as, well, anything else she could be doing right now.

**MDC: Hey Nino, I have a paper for you to check over for me tomorrow, ok?**

_ AA: You didn’t text Nino, but I’d be happy to take a look at it for you _

**MDC: Oops, sorry! If you want to read it you’re welcome to**

_ AA: If you could check mine too I would really appreciate it _

**MDC: Absolutely!**

_ AA: I take it you’re working on homework today? _

**MDC: Ugh, yes. It’s not what I want to do but here I am, sucking it up**

_ AA: I’m doing the same thing, actually. What subject are you best at? _

**MDC: ...does art class count?**

_ AA: It counts, but that’s the obvious answer _

**MDC: Ok, after that I guess is history**

_ AA: Wait really?! That’s my worst and if you could help me with my history homework I will love you forever _

Tikki was startled awake from her nap by her Chosen’s high pitched squeal. “Are you ok?” the kwami asked, flying over from her napping spot on Marinette’s pillow.  Marinette was not capable of responding with words, she just showed Tikki the screen and continued to make unintelligible noises.

“That would do it,” Tikki sighed. “Answer him and try not to make it worse, I guess?”

**MDC: If you could help me with math/science I’d call it even, no love required lol**

“Well done!” cheered Tikki.

_ AA: Math and science are my best, so that sounds like a great balance _

_ AA: Also I realized in the first project lesson that I love you and Nino and Alya, you guys were my first real friends and that friendship means the world to me _

“Wow,” Tikki said. She had taken a seat on Marinette’s shoulder to read the messages as they came in.

**MDC: We all love you too <3 Any specific questions about history? I’m opening my textbook now**

_ AA: Still can’t get over the fact that Ladybug once dropped that textbook lol _

_ AA: Anyway yeah, so in chapter 11... _

\----------------

Marinette ended up getting all of her history, math, and science assignments done. The late ones were done, the current ones were ready for Monday, and she had even gotten a head start on next week’s reading. Helping Adrien study turned out to be the best thing he could have done for herself that Sunday afternoon. They had texted through the history topics, but switched to a video call for science and math. Adrien was stuck in his room all day as his father was out for a meeting.

Nathalie came to check on him about the same time they were wrapping up, so they ended the call pretty quickly. Marinette was truly happy; she had managed to make the mature choice to work on homework while also socializing and helping a friend.

A little voice in the back of her mind suggested that Adrien was her anonymous email partner, but she shut the thought down pretty quickly. She would not know their identity until the end of the project, and any assumptions about who it could be would skew how she read their emails. There was a purpose to the anonymity, and she respected the rules.

Marinette was happily embroidering some black and white flowers to the new blue skirt when her school tablet lit up. She waited until she had finished the leaf she was working on before setting her project down and checking the notification. Her smile upon seeing it was from her partner was automatic.

_ I hope tomorrow’s lesson is less awkward than the body one was. At the same time, I’m kind of afraid to know how deep we’re diving. Like, at what point does it become something we should be discussing with a trained professional instead of a friend? _

**I was under the impression they had experts lay out the lessons specifically so it would be topics we could cover on our own. I don’t know how true that is, though.**

_ That would make sense. Whatever it is, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it _

**I really can’t tell if you’re flirting or sincere lol**

_ I am being sincere, but I know it’s hard to tell when it’s typed out like this.  _

**Thank you for clarifying. I also really enjoy your perspective on things, so the feeling is mutual**

_ I appreciate that! Have a good night and I look forward to hearing from you tomorrow! _

**You too, good night <3**

Marinette enjoyed a quiet evening with her parents. They played video games after dinner, and she made sure to take a few moments before going to sleep to be actively thankful for a such a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Plot will show back up in the next chapter, I'm still learning about pacing lol  
> -FRIENDS SUPPORTING FRIENDS  
> -I love my oblivious sunshine son  
> -Marinette deserves more quiet time like this


	36. Lesson Four

Marinette was doing decently well at getting out the door on time Monday morning. She was in the mood for a pain au chocolat for breakfast, so she stopped into the bakery before leaving.

"Good morning, Marinette! See, I told you she'd be down here sooner or later."

Marinette paused, confused as to who her mother could be talking to. She popped her head around the corner, pastry dangling from her mouth, only to make eye contact with a familiar blond.

"Hey!" Adrien greeted her cheerfully with a wave.

She stared at him, not convinced she was actually awake yet. "Um, hi, why are you here?"

"I got permission to have a treat for breakfast, and I know this is the best bakery in Paris, so naturally I came straight here!"

Marinette didn't know what to say after that. She was still trying to fully wake up, and a cute friend complimenting her parent's baking was too much for her to handle this early in the morning.

"You should come by more often, we have lots of sweet treats for you to try!" Tom encouraged him.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Adrien laughed. "Speaking of sweets, do you want to walk to school together, Marinette?”

It was impossible for Marinette to not be one hundred and ten percent embarrassed in that moment. Her mother kept winking at her, her father was practically shaking with excitement, and there was a very insistent kwami poking her hip through her purse.

“Sure, that makes sense,” she managed to spit out without stuttering. They walked out the door together, and Adrien’s full attention was on the croissant he was devouring.

“So how did you get official permission?” Marinette asked, genuinely curious.

“So I have a big weigh-in on Wednesday and I need to be up a few pounds, so I can get away with a lot between then and now.”

“All I’m hearing is ‘we should totally get pizza with Alya and Nino for lunch today’, isn’t that wild?” she said with a dramatic wave of her hand.

“That sounds like the best idea EVER!” Adrien said, smiling at her. She couldn’t help but giggle as she noticed the crumbs on his face and shirt. Unconsciously, she leaned forward and started to brush them off, the way she had to do with Cat Noir whenever she brought dessert for patrol. He froze at the contact and stared at her with wide eyes.

“I’m so sorry, I just made it weird, didn’t I?” she asked in a rush.

“No, you’re totally ok! I just, um, you reminded me of someone else for a second and I didn’t sleep well last night and… yeah,” he finished lamely as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Let’s get to class before we hurt ourselves, clearly we’re both too awkward to function this morning.”

Before she could start climbing the school stairs, he picked her up bridal style. “Oh I’m not done being awkward.”

Marinette instinctively started flailing all of her limbs, laughing as she demanded to be put down. Adrien refused and carried her all the way to her locker, kicking open the locker room door and accidentally scaring Mylene.

Before he set her back on her feet, he gave her an extra squeeze. “Thanks,” he whispered. “You have no idea how much I needed to laugh like this today.”

“What are friends for?”

They both grabbed what they needed from their lockers and headed to class. Marinette took her seat beside Alya and pretended it was a normal morning, and Alya was having none of it.

“Hey man, you look way too cheerful for a Monday morning,” Nino complained as he greeted Adrien with a fist bump.

“I started the day with amazing pastries and making a friend laugh, is there any better way to start the day?”

“Is that what that was?” Alya asked, her eyebrows raised.

“Yep, a perfectly sweet start to the week,” Adrien confirmed with a smile. Under the desk behind him, Alya kicked Marinette.

“Good morning class,” Ms Busier said as she entered the room, oblivious to the conversations that were wrapping up. “I know you are all looking forward to lesson four! We discussed body awareness last week, and that leads us to our next topic. Can anyone tell me the definition of gender?”

“Boys and girls!” Kim shouted confidently.

“It’s a little more complicated than that, Kim, but you’re definitely on the right track. Gender is often related to the body, but not always. Does anyone know the term for when a person’s gender is not the same as their body the way it was when they were born?”

“Transgender!” Rose squeaked.

“Correct! It’s important to understand that a transgender woman is a woman, and a transgender man is a man. While the external markers may not align with that, the way their brain develops is in line with the gender they identify with.”

“So people definitely know their gender,” Nathaniel said quietly.

“Some people do. Cisgender is the term for when your gender matches your body, and most cisgender people never analyze their gender identity, simply taking it for granted.”

“I would never want to be anything but a woman,” Chloe scoffed, tossing her ponytail with frustration.

“It’s not something you want, it’s something innate that you feel,” Ms Bustier corrected gently.

“There are other identities though, right Ms Bustier?” Marinette said, guessing that Juleka wouldn’t want to speak up.

“Yes, Marinette! Someone who doesn’t fit a strictly male or female gender may use the term nonbinary, indicating they don’t fall neatly into one of those two categories. Gender fluid means the gender they feel can change at any given time, and agender means they don’t feel they have a gender identity at all.”

“Wait, what’s the difference between nonbinary and agender?” Ivan asked.

“Nonbinary combines elements of both masculinity and femininity, where agender is the absence of those elements.”

Everyone in class sat silently, some taking notes on the relevant terms. This was significantly deeper than the previous topics, and for most of them it involved concepts they had never even been aware of.

“Can someone’s identity change over time?” Alix asked.

“Anything we discuss can change with time. People are always growing and changing. Positive and negative experiences alike can change us and shape us into a new person. It’s good to know all of the labels that exist because they help us understand ourselves and each other. Labels aren’t meant to be restrictive; rather, they allow use to communicate our feelings to others more easily.”

\-------------

Alya and Nino were also excited about the lunch pizza plan, and Adrien called Nathalie to confirm before they left the school. Luckily, there was a pizza place only two blocks away. Sure it was kind of aimed at the foreign tourists, but most things in their neighborhood were.

Marinette picked a slice of white pizza, the cream sauce and spinach combination elevating her excitement. 

“Really? We go for pizza and you get the one with veggies on it?” Alya laughed.

Alya had gotten a slice of pepperoni, claiming it was the epitome of classic. Nino argued as he enjoyed his slice of plain cheese pizza. Adrien on the other hand…

“Dude, can you handle that much?” Nino asked as Adrien sat down with three slices. One was the same as Marinette’s, one was pepperoni and sausage, and the third was an “everything” slice that was piled high with different veggies.

“This is like a dream come true!” Adrien sighed before picking up the first slice. 

In the time it took Marinette to eat her one slice, Adrien had polished off all three of his. She had to admit, she was kind of impressed. 

“I stand corrected,” Nino said, sounding in awe of his friend’s accomplishment.

“When you get sick later, don’t blame me,” Alya said smugly.

“As long as we don’t have to run from an akuma, I’ll be fi-”

“You had to jinx it, didn’t you?!” Marinette groaned, smacking Adrien on the arm. Before he could answer, Alya had jumped up from the table. She was already livestreaming to her page and running towards the chaos, and Nino was right behind her.

“I, um, need to check on my parents!” Marinette stuttered.

“I’ll walk you there!” Adrien offered, eager to get Marinette away from the battle to safety.

“If you insist,” she replied with a stiff smile.

The pair power walked back the two blocks, and before Marinette could come up with some lame excuse, Adrien pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“My driver is looking for me, I have to go, bye!” he shouted as he took off running.

“Be safe!” she shouted back before ducking behind the bakery and transforming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Yep, lesson four is gender, an incredibly difficult topic to discuss because it's all so hard to define. I've done my best here, and a lot of this is based on discussions with a nonbinary friend  
> -Adrien, your Cat is showing


	37. Lesson Continued

Sneaking back into school after an akuma battle was always awkward, but some days were worse than others. The lunchtime battle hadn’t lasted terribly long, but was still short enough that classes were still happening. Unfortunately for Marinette, the battle ended several blocks away from the school.

“Why, Hawkmoth? Why do you hate me so MUCH?!” she shouted as she swung across the city. “It’s not enough to make me miss out on social time, or make me lie to my parents, or miss sleep, or miss school, but do you have to be this much of an inconvenience all the time?” She thought she was by herself, and she didn’t think she was saying these things too loudly.

“I mean, he’s a villain,” came the snarky remark from her left that she was entirely unprepared for. Cat Noir seemed to be heading the same direction she was, and as they got closer to the school that was proving to be a problem.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Ladybug asked.

“Don’t you?” he shot back.

“Ugh, yes, but you can’t know where that is.”

“Same goes for you, bugaboo.”

“Ok, we’re going to pretend that we’re not going the same direction and that this is a coincidence that means nothing.” Ladybug had switched to her authority voice, and Cat Noir knew it was because she was already upset with Hawkmoth and not him.

“You’ve got it. I can’t patrol tonight, but how about tomorrow?”

“That works,” she agreed. “Thanks for not pushing this, Cat Noir.”

“Anything for you, my lady,” he said with a salute before taking off.

Ladybug landed in the alley behind the bakery and detransformed. She focused on taking a few deep breaths while Tikki dove into her purse and started munching on a cookie.

She was still so focused on calming down as she walked back to the school that she didn’t see Adrien until she ran into him, literally. He caught her before they both ended up on the ground.

“Sorry! I should have been paying more attention, are you ok?” she asked in a rush.

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” he said, keeping his hands on her shoulders and looking her right in the eye.

“Um, I’m just, you know, coming back after the akuma attack and all,” she said, unable to break eye contact.

“It wasn’t near here,” he said, his voice low.

“BLESS you’re both out here, now we don’t have to walk in late alone!” Alya was running up to them, and Nino was trailing behind her. Marinette and Adrien both jumped backwards, and Alya raised an eyebrow as she draped her arms across them both. “And where did you two end up, hmm?”

Both of them blushed and started stammering out excuses, then stared in confusion at the other. Marinette knew what she was covering, but she couldn’t help but wonder what Adrien was hiding.

Before they could get any more awkward, Alya was dragging them into the building, laughing as they went.

When they got into their room, it was apparent that they were not the only ones who were affected by the battle. Chloe and Sabrina were not back yet, and Lila was loudly telling everyone how she had been taken hostage by the akuma.

Marinette did her best to contain herself to an eyeroll. She couldn't understand how Lila was able to continue to tell such outlandish stories. Unfortunately, with Hawkmoth looming large she didn’t have any extra energy to waste on another teenage girl. She looked up only to make eye contact with Adrien again. This time, however, he seemed frustrated. He glanced from her to Lila and back again, and Marinette got the message.

Ms Bustier called the class to order, but before she could start into any real material Chloe kicked open the door.

“That middle aged drama queen needs to learn some fashion sense and then take a long walk off a short bridge!”

“I know you’re frustrated, Chloe, we all are. Getting mad about it won’t help, though.”

“Nothing I can do helps, so I might as well be mad! Daddy says everything is too hectic for us to go away on vacation, and if I lose my tan this summer because one loser wants some jewelry I will never let it go!”

Everyone stared at Chloe as she sat in her seat with a huff. No one liked the akumas, but her selfish reasons for being mad made it hard to agree.

“Today’s project lesson is broken up into two parts, so I am glad everyone is back. We discussed the overall concept of gender, but now we can discuss pronouns!”

“What does grammar have to do with it?” Lila asked sullenly.

“We are all familiar with male and female pronouns, but some people prefer to use gender neutral pronouns. So instead of ‘he’ or ‘she’, the pronoun is ‘they’.”

“But isn’t ‘they’ plural? Ivan asked.

“Not always. If I said we were going to have a guest in case, you would ask, ‘What’s their name?’, right?”

“But rules are rules,” Sabrina said firmly. “And grammar rules don’t just change.”

“Language evolves all the time, Sabrina. We add new words every day, and grammar adjusts as speaking patterns shift.”

“But why would pronouns matter?” Kim asked.

“If I was talking about you and said ‘she’, how would you feel?”

“I’d laugh, because I’m obviously a guy,” he scoffed.

“But someone who has never met you might see your name and assume you were a girl.”

Kim opened and closed his mouth a few times, unable to form a response.

“If someone asks you to use different pronouns for them, or even a different name, you should do as they ask. Just like when you meet someone and they ask you to use a nickname instead of their full name.”

“The same way you should stop using a nickname if they ask you to, right?” Adrien asked. Chloe pretended not to look over.

“Exactly!”

“It’s also a sign of trust if they ask you to switch,” Juleka said quietly.

“Correct! It means they trust you enough to be open and honest with you. So your discussion topic for this week is how you feel gender applies to you and the pronouns you feel more comfortable with.”

\----------

When class was over, Marinette jumped up and went over to Juleka.

“Hey, I just wanted to let you know that Luka is really putting effort into being a good brother,” she said softly. “He’s been asking me about our lesson topics so he can be prepared if you want to talk to him.”

“Thanks,” Juleka said without looking up. “I know we have assigned partners and all for this, but can I-”

“Feel free to text me about anything at any time!” Marinette said, sensing Juleka’s shyness. 

Juleka gave Marinette a quick hug before darting out of the room. Adrien was waiting by the door, so Marinette grabbed her bag and headed out. Adrien followed her quietly until they made it to the locker room.

“How is Juleka doing?” he asked. “I know Luka seemed concerned enough to ask us about the project.”

“I think she has a lot of feelings to process, and this is kind of like dropping someone who’s just learned to swim into the deep end of the pool.”

Adrien thought about her answer, and then smiled. “And supportive friends are like a lifejacket!”

“That is an amazing metaphor that I didn’t even think of,” Marinette said, closing her locker.

“I hope she has a good email partner. I’m almost spoiled, mine has been pretty great so far.”

“Mine too. I’m already trying to figure out what I’m going to write tonight.”

They walked quietly outside and stopped by Adrien’s car. He opened his arms for a hug and she stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around his stomach, mentally noting that he must have just had another growth spurt. He folded his arms around her shoulders, and they both took a deep breath.

“I know I said it yesterday during our homework, but I need to say it again. I am beyond lucky to have you as a friend.” Adrien gave her a tight squeeze and stepped back.

She looked up and replied, “I might have to agree, but only because I must be just as lucky to be friends with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- friend fluff. Friend Fluff. FRIENDFLUFF  
> \- In this fic we drink Respecting Pronouns juice  
> \- I came up with the lifejacket line on the spot and I've never been prouder of my writing XD


	38. Care

Marinette loaded up a tray with snacks for herself and Tikki as soon as she got home. Having something to do with her hands helped distract her from her thoughts of Adrien.

She had really been making an effort to just be friends with him for a while, and it had really helped her be able to talk to him. Talking had led to a better friendship, and now…

What were they now? Was “friends” really the best way to sum up the way they interacted with each other? He seemed more at ease with her than before, and the more she thought about it the more it looked like he was more comfortable with her than just about anyone else. Aside from the time Alya had asked him to squish her in a hug after the love languages lesson, he really hadn’t been more tactile with their other friends and classmates. Except for her…

Why did being near Adrien feel so different from being near Luka? Was it the lingering crush she hadn’t managed to shake? Or was it something harder to understand?

Marinette carefully carried the collection of snacks up to her room, intently focused on the task at hand. Once she set it down on the desk, she took a large breath and flopped on to her rolling desk chair. She rolled backwards from the force and made sad grabby hands as she moved away from her snacks.

“Mawinette,” Tikki said with her mouth full, “awe ‘ou ok?”

“No,” Marinette whined back. “Why does hugging me make Adrien so happy?”

Tikki swallowed and cleared her throat before responding. “That’s a good question, you should ask him.”

“And how would that go? ‘Hey friend, why do you like to touch me?’ Because that doesn’t sound weird at ALL.”

“Obviously not like that,” Tikki laughed. “But he’s the only one who knows what he’s thinking and feeling, you know.”

“I know.” Marinette started peeling an orange, fixating on getting every remnant of the eel off before pulling the sections apart. “I don’t want to ask in a way that makes him think it makes me uncomfortable.”

“Does it?”

“No, and I don’t know why, and that’s part of what has me so worked up!” Marinette popped a bite of orange in her mouth, thinking as she chewed.

“Ok, figuring that out before bringing it up is probably a good idea,” Tikki agreed, hovering over the tray to pick her next treat.

“A lot of this started with these lessons. Maybe one of the next lessons will help.”

“I agree.”

Marinette unlocked her tablet with her right hand, continuing to grab various food items with her left and eating them without truly being aware of the action. She opened a new email draft and mentally reviewed the lesson.

**If I thought last week was heavy, this is like weightlifting. Let’s be real, I’ve never questioned my gender. Like, I was born female and I have always enjoyed looking really feminine. If anyone called me sir I think I would fall over from laughing so hard because I’m so clearly not a guy. I am having a hard time imagining what it would be like to have a mind and a body that don’t match up. All I can think of is like… I’m right-handed but if someone made me use my left it would be uncomfortable every single moment. Not painful, not impossible, but wrong.**

Marinette sent the email and reached over to grab another bite, only to realize she had eaten everything on the tray. Pouting, she picked up her phone to text Juleka.

**MDC: Hey, I just wanted to say again that I am here to listen if you want. And if not, that’s also ok**

She pressed send and switched to her text conversation with Luka.

**MDC: Head’s up, today’s lesson was gender identity. I’ve told Juleka I am willing to listen if she needs it**

Next, she texted Adrien.

**MDC: Just gave Luka a head’s up about the lesson topic**

She set down her phone and took her snack tray back down to the kitchen. It only took a few moments to clean and put everything away, and she appreciated the distraction from waiting for responses to her messages. 

Marinette then spent the next twenty minutes cleaning her room. She tried to pretend it was just because it was the right thing to do, but she knew it was really just a procrastinating technique to avoid her science homework.

Eventually her curiosity got the better of her and she sat back down at her desk. She started with her phone, noticing she had replies for all 3 conversations.

_ JC: Thank you, Marinette. I need to figure out how to put my feelings into words, but I’ll let you know when I’m feeling ready to talk _

_ LC: Thanks for the head’s up. From here on out, I’m setting Monday’s aside for her _

_ AA: Further proof of your exceptional friend skills! _

Marinette smiled as she read the messages. It was nice to be recognized for her support sometimes. Lila’s attempts to turn her classmates against had been exhausting even when the bully wasn’t completely successful.

Next she picked up her tablet, and eagerly opened the email response.

_ I know what you mean, gender is complicated! My father expects me to fit neatly in the male gender, including all of the stereotypes that go along with that. Sadly, he sticks firmly with the “men don’t feel emotions” baggage and I can already see the problems with that from our first lesson. I also feel pretty comfortable identifying as male, but if someone thought I was female I wouldn’t be bothered. Some guys get really defensive if something about them is perceived as feminine, but I think that has more to do with how women are criticized by society/media. Girls have it tough; they’re mocked for their interests, told they need to fix their bodies to fit a narrow goal, and generally put down. I’m glad to hear you don’t feel a conflict between your identity and your body. I have a friend who seemed to already be struggling with it before today’s lesson and now… well, I know she has supportive friends to help her but I wish she didn’t have to go through that. _

Marinette read over the message twice. Tikki had read it as well, and she was watching Marinette’s face carefully. 

“I don’t know if it’s because I was thinking about Juleka right before I opened this message, but I can’t help but think my partner is someone in our class.”

“Oh?” Tikki asked.

“That last bit certainly sounds like what Juleka is going through, but it is still vague enough to apply to everyone. This exchange did reveal that I’m a girl and he’s a guy, and I’m trying not to apply that knowledge to the list of possibilities.”

“You don’t want to know who you’re talking to?” Tikki knew Marinette didn’t, but she needed the girl to say it out loud for her own sake.

“Not yet. I think this method is still effective. Besides, I don’t know who Cat Noir is and we’ve been able to build an amazing partnership.”

Marinette started typing her response, so she missed her kwami’s affectionate eye roll.

**It hurts to watch a friend struggle with self-growth, but they can’t understand well without going through it on their own. Trust me, if I could swoop in and save everyone I know from experiencing any negative emotions I would do it in a heartbeat. As it is, we can offer our support to them. And also take care of ourselves so we are in the best place to be helpful.**

“So are you going to take some of your own advice and take better care of yourself, Ladybug?” Tikki teased.

“...oh…” 

Reluctantly, Marinette started working on her science homework. She was only able to finish the first question on her own before she was texting Adrien for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -enjoy some more Juleka developments  
> -Marinette is #Suspicious but she is actively deciding not to analyze her partner's answers  
> -I'm trying to balance giving the gender discussion the weight it deserves without getting too heavy


	39. Lunch

Nino pounced on Marinette in the locker room Tuesday morning. “Please don’t be mad at me…” he started.

Marinette calmly closed her locker door and took a deep breath before turning around. “Should I be?”

“I just realized that I never actually asked if you were available Saturday for my plan for Alya’s birthday. I asked Adrien like a month ago to make sure it would fit in his schedule, but every time I tried to ask you Alya was right there.”

“Oh,” Marinette laughed. “Alya mentioned that I was involved and I started to panic because I thought I had forgotten something!”

“No, that’s on me. I’m not gonna tell you what the plan is so it is a complete surprise, but you need to be available at noon, wearing clothes you can move around in easily. Oh, and wear good shoes.”

“I know you won’t tell us, but I can’t wait!” Adrien said excitedly, having just walked in. He had managed to get right behind Marinette without her being aware of his presence, so his enthusiastic comment was made right by her ear.

Marinette jumped in the air with a shriek. She whipped around to find whoever was behind her, shouting, “You stupid ca-... oh.” Her eyes locked with Adrien’s as she trailed off.

“Did you just call me a cat?” Adrien smirked. “Do you yell at cats often?”

“Just one cat and-”

“Alya will be here any second and I do not have time to unpack this new weird dynamic between the two of you!” Nino shouted. “Saturday. Be ready for a challenge. Adrien, you will meet me at my place, and we will pick up Marinette and Alya from the sleepover.”

“Aww, working out my birthday plans?” Alya asked from the doorway. “I didn’t overhear anything.”

“Good!” Nino said with one last look at Marinette and Adrien. The group headed to the classroom, and Marinette tried not to think about the conversation that had been interrupted.

She felt something bump her hand so she glanced to her left. Adrien was walking beside her, and she realized he had bumped her hand with his. She looked at their hands, just inches apart, and looked back up at his face. 

“Can I help you?” she asked gently.

“What?” he asked, seeming startled. She realized belatedly that he must have zoned out and didn’t mean to bump her hand.

“You ok?” 

“Yeah, sorry, I’m just a little stressed about tomorrow.”

She thought back to the day before. “Your weigh-in is tomorrow, right?”

“Yep, the dietician has to confirm I am healthy enough for Father’s next runway event, but I haven’t been able to make enough progress. I don’t think it’s possible for me to magically gain weight overnight, but I can’t help but think about it even if I can’t fix it.”

Marinette gave him a side-hug as they approached the door. “If there’s anything I can do, let me know. Pizza for lunch was good yesterday, but if you want to come over to the bakery for lunch today you are welcome to.”

“Really?” he asked hopefully. 

“Of course, all of my friends are welcome to lunch at any time.”

“Thank you!” he said as he picked her up in a bear hug. Her feet left the ground and she laughed at his exuberant reaction to lunch plans.

There was a cough from behind them, and Adrien realized they were blocking the door. “Sorry,” he said as he walked forward, still holding Marinette so she couldn’t touch the floor.

“Put me down, you dork!” she laughed.

“Maybe I can just pick you up and hold you for my weigh-in, you don’t weigh much so it would add just the right amount.”

“Put her down and stop being so weird!” Chloe shrieked. “What is with you today, Adrien?” She pushed passed him and threw herself into her seat.

Adrien set Marinette down gently. They looked at each other and tried not to laugh, as they knew this would just make Chloe more upset.

“I don’t understand how she can be so thin and live in a bakery,” Lila purred as she walked by. “Something doesn’t add up here.”

“What do you mean?” Rose asked, already in her seat next to Juleka, who was focused on her tablet.

“Well we know she eats things they make, we’ve all seen that.”

“Yeah, so?” asked Mylene.

Before Marinette could confront Lila, Ms Bustier entered and Lila sat down silently. Marinette focused on taking a few deep breaths, knowing that it would be catastrophic for her to be akumatized. When she opened her eyes, she saw that while Adrien had taken his seat in front of her, he wasn’t facing Ms Bustier. He was turned completely around, watching her carefully. She blinked in surprise, and he slow-blinked back. A feeling of calm washed through her, and she mouthed “thank you” at him. He smiled and turned back towards the front.

\----------

The rest of the morning went smoothly, and before long Marinette and Adrien were walking to her house for lunch. Marinette headed straight for the fridge, doing her best to give Tikki a chance to phase into the cookie jar.

“Anything in particular you want for lunch?” she asked, looking at their options.

“Whatever you’re having,” he answered. 

“You sure?”

“Um… not to sound like ‘that guy’ and all, but I never really get to make food decisions for myself. And when I do, I kind of go overboard.”

“Like yesterday’s pizza choices?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“I think I have a plan then.” She started taking things out of the refrigerator and piling it on the counter. “Can I ask you for a favor?”

“At your service,” he said with a bow.

She laughed at the exaggerated response. “All right, prince charming, can you go down and ask my father for a fresh baguette, please?”

“Sure, I can handle that!”

He happily jumped up from his seat and left the room. As soon as he was gone, Tikki appeared next to Marinette holding half a cookie.

“I’m a little concerned about Lila’s comments today,” Marinette said quietly to her kwami.

“I agree, it sounds like she is setting something up.”

“I don’t think there’s a good way to shut it down until I know what her angle is.”

Tikki nodded. “I agree, as hard as that is.”

They heard Adrien’s footsteps coming back up the stairs, so Tikki stuffed the rest of the cookie in her mouth and settled back in Marinette’s purse.

He opened the door with a wide smile and a baguette held over his head. “My quest has been completed!”

Marinette giggled and pretended to swoon. “Oh, my brave prince, your bravery truly knows no bounds!”

He walked into the kitchen and got down on one knee. “Fair maiden, may I have the honor of presenting the requested baguette.”

“I accept this precious offering,” she replied, taking the bread and putting it on the counter. “Does the prince have a reward in mind?”

“Nothing much, just half of whatever delicious meal you are going to make with this fine loaf.”

“Truly, that is a just reward for such a task.” Marinette couldn’t hold it together any longer. She started laughing and couldn’t stop. Eventually she found herself sitting on the floor, tears in her eyes as she gasped for breath between laughs. Adrien was right there with her, unable to make eye contact with her without breaking out in another round of laughter.

“Ok, I need to make these sandwiches so we can eat before the break is over.” She popped up off the floor without needing to grab the counter, and washed her hands before cutting into the bread.

Adrien got up and washed his hands once she stepped away from the sink. He then stepped out of the kitchen and came around to the other side of the counter. He watched as she masterfully sliced the baguette into two halves, then split the pieces open. Next, she began layering different types of lunchmeat and cheese and a few different veggies. Adrien could feel Plagg in his pocket vibrating in excitement. When Marinette turned around to grab plates for them, Adrien snatched a piece of cheese from the sandwich on his left and stuffed it roughly in his pocket.

“Which one do you want?” she asked.

“I’ll take this one,” he answered, taking the left sandwich that he had already grabbed the cheese from.

They took their plates to the table and ate in silence. They were both more focused on the food than they were on each other, and it only took a few minutes for them to finish.

“Sorry that wasn’t fancy or anything,” Marinette said as she took the plates to the sink. 

“That was delicious, and that’s what matters,” Adrien said firmly.

“Let’s go down and pick out dessert before we have to go back to class.”

\-----------

As they walked back in the classroom after lunch, Adrien held the door open for Marinette. “Thank you, kind sir,” she said with a wink.

“Anything for you, princess,” he responded with a playful bow. 

There was a high pitched squeal, and Adrien turned to see Alya looking ready to burst with excitement. “What’s up?” he asked her. She didn’t respond with words, only letting out another high-pitched squeal.

Nino walked in to find Marinette and Adrien looking concerned and Alya incapable of talking. “Hey, who broke my girl?”

“Adrien and Marinette’s bizarre interaction did apparently,” came the sarcastic answer from Chloe of all people.

“Oh…kay. Um, you good, Alya?”

“YES!”

“Oh I wanted to ask you, Alya, do you want me to bake something special for the sleepover?” Marinette asked.

“Anything you make is amazing, so surprise me, I guess?” Alya answered with a shrug.

“The girls get birthday treats and we don’t?” Adrien asked. “How could you betray me like that, Marinette?”

“I’ll be sure to save some for you and Nino, I promise.”

“I shall hold you to your vow!”

Marinette could have sworn she heard Chloe muttering something that sounded like the word “ridiculous” under her breath.

After Ms Bustier started the class and assigned them all a section to read, Alya slipped a note to Marinette.

_ What the hell happened during lunch? You and Adrien have already been acting weird but this is like next level stuff here _

**I don’t totally know what’s going on either, but it makes him so happy that I can’t help but go along with it. I think he’s trying to figure out who he is when he’s not with his father**

_ Ok, I buy that up to a point.  _

_ I thought he was dating Kagami _

**He’s not, hasn’t been for a while. Also he thought I was dating Luka still and we found out we were both single at the same time and it was super awkward**

_ And you didn’t get together because…? _

**Whatever we have right now is nice. We get to hang out and have fun but there’s no pressure. I am very happy with whatever this is**

_ Spill. Did you kiss during lunch?? _

**It’s not like that, I promise. We made some jokes that, looking back, weren’t THAT funny but I haven’t laughed that hard in months. He’s super stressed about some modeling stuff right now and he just needed a break, that’s all**

_ Ok, fine, message received. But when you’re ready to jump him let me know because I can give you advice _

**jUMP him?! WHat? no!!**

_ Calm down, little miss innocent. When you have questions, I have answers _

Marinette did her best to focus on her assignment after that, but she kept thinking about what Alya had said. She didn’t look at Adrien and want to “jump him”. Hug him, sure. Hold hands, yeah. Maybe kisses if he was into that. But she couldn’t imagine wanting to do anything more scandalous than snuggling on the couch together watching a movie. What was she not understanding?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Nino is doing his best  
> -Lila makes me so MAD and I'm writing her like this so it's my own fault  
> -I can't help but love overdramatic Adrien  
> -Alya means well but now Marinette is spun up


	40. Dietician

“Sweetie, Adrien is in the bakery!”

Marinette had not been moving very fast through her morning routine, but her mother’s announcement hit her like a shot of espresso. She rushed around her room, pulling on her pants while muttering under her breath about forgetting to charge her phone. Tikki giggled at the sight of her flustered Chosen.

“Breath, Marinette.”

“Breathing is overrated,” the girl hissed back.

Just five minutes later Marinette Dupain-Cheng walked into the bakery, looking just as put together as she did every school morning. She had used just a little more foundation than normal to cover the bags under her eyes, evidence of her terrible night. She just couldn’t seem to shut off her brain and fall asleep. Alya’s comments and Adrien’s attention and her own confusion had led to hours of spiraling thoughts that left her exhausted and numb.

Marinette looked at Adrien, who had a pastry in each hand, and laughed. “Cramming before your weigh-in?”

“Pretty much, yeah,” he answered after swallowing. “It’s scheduled during my lunch break so it’s now or never.”

“Let me grab something and we can head over,” she said, walking over to the case and looking at her options. She chose a fruit tart, wrapped it in a napkin, then held the door open for Adrien. His hands were still full, so he nodded to her parents. “Thanks!”

“You’re always welcome here, son!” Tom shouted from the back.

Marinette blushed a little at her father calling Adrien “son”. She was too focused on the crosswalk and her breakfast to notice that Adrien’s blush was even bolder than her own.

The pair didn’t talk much as they walked to class, their mouths occupied with their food, but it didn’t feel awkward. They took their seats in the classroom, and no one seemed to care. No one except Lila, who looked Marinette up and down and raised one eyebrow as Marinette popped the last bite in her mouth. She couldn’t say anything to Lila with her mouth full, and by the time she had swallowed it was too late to try and call out… whatever Lila had meant with that look.

The day progressed normally, although Marinette noticed that Adrien was getting increasingly uncomfortable. He was regularly shifting in his seat, not unlike the way Cat Noir would he was avoiding going home. She cringed at the comparison; it wasn’t fair to either boy to compare them to each other, even if it was only in her head.

When it was time to finally head to lunch, Marinette grabbed Adrien’s arm before he left the room. When he turned around to ask why, she launched herself at him and hugged him as tight as she could. No words were necessary, as she knew there wasn’t anything she could say to help. He hugged back tightly for a moment, then let go and left the room quickly. Marinette ate lunch with Alya and Nino, but she couldn’t really hear anything they said as she was too focused on Adrien.

“Earth to Marinette,” she heard as someone waved a hand in front of her face. She blinked and looked over to see Alya watching her.

“I’m sorry?”

“Spacing out thinking about Adrien, I get it,” Alya laughed. “I was asking if you saw the auction update?”

“Auction update?”

“Yeah,” Alya said, pulling the page up on her phone. “So Ladybug’s painting has the highest bids on it. Not a surprise, but there’s a HUGE gap between it and the other items available. They also don’t show you who has the highest bid, just the amount.”

“So no one knows who’s in the lead except the person who submitted that bid?” Nino asked.

“Exactly!” Alya stared longingly at the image. “I know there was never any way for me to win it, but a girl can dream.”

Marinette thought about what Alya said. There were so many people who would love to have something she had painted, but the goal was to raise as much money as possible, right?

“What if they did a raffle? Like you buy raffle tickets with donations, more money is more entries, but technically anyone has a chance at winning even if they only buy one ticket!” 

“That would be amazing, girl, but this is a traditional auction, so it’s just a lump sum from the winner.” Alya shrugged. “If Ladybug ever did another painting, though, I hope she uses your method. Then everyone would jump on board!”

Marinette thought about that as she continued to eat. Didn’t everyone deserve a chance to donate and be involved, instead of just people with so much money they could throw crazy amounts at a single item? Even if it was for a good cause?

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, and she pulled it out to see who was texting her during lunch. Most of her texts were from Alya, and Marinette knew it wasn’t her.

_ AA: Dietician just arrived. Time for measurements, then weight, then they calculate it _

**MDC: Good luck! Think… heavy thoughts?**

_ AA: I shall think of an entire dessert buffet _

Marinette laughed as she put her phone away. She really did enjoy being friends with Adrien.

\---------------

Adrien smiled at his phone. If anyone asked him who his most supportive friend was, he would tell them it was Marinette, no hesitation. She seemed to enjoy spending time with him, as both Adrien and as Cat Noir, and the more time they spent together the more he felt the line between his identities blurring. Sometimes, he felt like she was the only person in the world who really saw him.

“Step forward, please.”

Adrien’s dietician, a short man named Andres Martin, was looking at him with concern. Adrien stepped forward, and Mr Martin measured his height. Carefully, he wrote it on the clipboard on the table beside him.

Next Adrien had to step on a digital scale. He had been required to strip down to his underwear so the measurement would be as accurate as possible. Luckily, the scale was sensitive and didn’t take long to calculate his weight. Mr Martin wrote the number down and waved him back. 

Adrien put his clothes back on, taking his time with his shoes and socks. Mr Martin was not always easy to read, but he didn’t seem happy with the numbers so far. Lastly, Mr Martin picked up a pair of calipers. After using them on both of Adrien’s arms, he wrote down more numbers and glared at the paper. 

“Um, do you need anything else from me, sir?” Adrien asked nervously.

"I need you to either stop getting taller or start eating twice as much food apparently,” the man muttered. “How? How do you keep growing but not putting on more weight? These numbers make it look like you’re an Olympic athlete or something!”

“I need to go back to school now, is that ok?”

“Yes, go,” Mr Martin responded dully. “Staying here won’t help the numbers.”

“Is it that bad?”

“I have to go talk to your father. Have a good rest of the day at school, Adrien.”

\-------------

Adrien walked in the door to class, and while he tried to smile at Marinette, she knew something was wrong. She jumped up from her seat and held her arms out. He gratefully took the offered hug and put his forehead on her shoulder.

They stood silently like that, and the rest of the class watched in fascination. Every single one of them knew that Marinette had been crushing on Adrien for ages, but they had all noticed that she had been able to talk to him better for the last month or so. Some of them (mostly the girls) had spotted a few of the casual hugs between them. This moment, however, was entirely new.

It would have been a nice moment, if it wasn’t interrupted.

“ADRIEN AGRESTE! You will have the perfect body! You ALL will!”

Marinette and Adrien turned in horror to see the akumatized villain smash through the window. His weapon was a large version of the BMI calipers, and his suit seemed to be made entirely out of measuring tape.

“Run!” Marinette shouted as she took Adrien’s hand and ran from the room. Behind her, she could hear screams as the akuma shot blue blasts from his empty hand at the students. She felt something collide with her back and she tripped as she made it through the doorway.

“Did you get hit?” Adrien asked frantically.

“I don’t think so, I don’t feel different.”

“Get down to the locker room, that’s probably the safest place to hide.”

“What about you?” she asked, pulling on the hand she was still holding. “Where are you going?”

“We should split up,” he said, not answering the question. “He’s after me, so you need to go the other way.”

Marinette was torn. On the one hand, she wanted to protect Adrien from the akuma that was chasing him down. On the other hand, the sooner she was away from Adrien, the sooner she could transform into Ladybug and solve the problem.

“Ok, we’ll split up, but please promise me you’ll be safe!”

“I promise.”

Marinette ran down the stairs and ducked into the locker room, grateful that it was empty. Tikki flew out, but before Marinette could call for her transformation, the kwami interrupted her. 

“You did get hit with the akuma’s blast.”

“I did? Did it do anything?”

“Not really. You’re maybe two inches taller, but all of the other changes are pretty subtle. It shouldn’t affect you while you’re fighting.”

“What a weird… oh, I bet this akuma is Adrien’s dietician. Ok, I can handle this. Tikki, spots on!”

Ladybug ran out of the locker room and out of the building, looking around to locate the akuma. There was a flash of blue light on the roof, so Ladybug leaped up to find her partner already in the heat of battle. The akuma hadn’t noticed her yet, so she took a moment to hide and watch.

She was relatively certain, based on the circumstantial evidence, that the akumatized object was the calipers in his left hand. Before she could jump in, she noticed that Cat Noir looked… different.

The hero was nearly a foot taller, but it was his proportions that caught her attention. He was still thin, but “sleek” was a more fitting word than “skinny”. It was clear that he had more defined muscles than usual, but there was also an overall healthy appearance that made her pause. The villain had said that “everyone would have a perfect body”. Was this what Cat Noir was supposed to look like?

She looked down at herself, remembering what Tikki had said. She tried not to be disappointed that she wasn’t going to get much taller, but considering her mother’s height it wasn’t a huge surprise. She seemed a little more curvy than before, but it was a pretty subtle difference. 

Now that she understood her opponent a bit better, she jumped out from her hiding place and leapt into the fray.

“Fancy seeing you here, my lady,” Cat greeted her with a smile.

“How’s the view from up there?” she laughed.

“It’s a little disorienting, honestly. Look out!” he shouted, shoving her out of the way of another blast from the akuma.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already been hit and it didn’t do much.”

“I knew you were already perfect.”

“Focus, please!”

The akuma wasn’t one of Hawkmoth’s strongest champions, so the pair was able to take him down in about ten minutes. Ladybug’s lucky charm was a scale that had enraged the akuma enough for Cat Noir to sneak up behind him and cataclysm the calipers.

Ladybug calmed Mr Martin down before casting her Miraculous Cure, since the battle hadn’t caused much damage. The man was incredibly embarrassed by the entire thing, but he did give the hero pair a professional look over. 

“You both look like you will mature well. Please just make sure you’re eating a lot of healthy foods to compensate for the amount of physical work that you do. I beg you.”

“Yes sir,” Cat Noir said, seeming to genuinely hear the concern in the man’s voice.

Ladybug through the scale in the air and yelled, “Miraculous Ladybug!” She shrank back the small amount, but she glanced over at Cat Noir as he reverted to his normal shape. She couldn’t help but laugh at how small he looked now, and she made a mental note to bring treats along on their next patrol night.

“I’ll get him back to the ground if you want to make your exit now,” Cat Noir said with a wink.

“Yeah, that’s a good plan,” she responded. She knew that they had discussed revealing their identities, and she had her suspicions about her partner, but today was not the day.

She swung into the locker room and dropped her transformation. “I’m glad that was pretty easy,” she said as Tikki grabbed her cookie.

“I hope Cat Noir does start eating better, clearly he needs to fill out some more,” Tikki said.

“Him and Adrien both…”

As though she had summoned him, Adrien burst in through the door of the locker room. “Are you ok?” he asked, gasping for breath.

“Yes, I’m fine. Ladybug’s cure fixed me right up!”

“You got hit?!”

“Oh yeah, but just made me like 2 inches taller, nothing drastic.”

“That’s good.”

“Did you?”

“What?”

“Did you get hit?” she asked him as they left the room together.

“Um, yeah, I did.”

“How did you feel?”

“Healthier?” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I felt… balanced. Like everything was the way it was supposed to be.”

“Guess you have a goal now, huh?” she asked as they reached the classroom door.

“Something like that…”

Everyone greeted them with concerned questions as they walked back in. Apparently the akuma had blasted them all before continuing his hunt for Adrien. 

“I made sure to get photos of everyone,” Alya whispered as Marinette sat beside her.

“Did everyone change much?”

“It was pretty subtle stuff for most of us.”

“Most of you?”

“Um, Mylene slimmed down a lot. She’s acting like she’s fine, but I doubt she is. Juleka also got more… well, I don’t know how to describe it. Less feminine, but not masculine?”

“Ok class, now that everything is back to normal, let’s continue with our day.” Ms Bustier got them all started on a worksheet, knowing that some of her students were more shaken by the attack than they wanted to admit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I came up with this akuma idea a while ago and I have been DYING to write it!  
> -This fic now has over 500 comments! Nearly half of those are me because I love replying to you, but I want to thank you all. Your comments absolutely make my day!


	41. Listen

Marinette went straight home when class was over, not even stopping to say goodbye to Adrien. The akuma attack had left her with a lot to think about.

She felt bad that she didn’t know how the akuma had affected the rest of the class outside of Alya’s few comments. Rather than text around and awkwardly check in on her friends, she figured she could wait until Alya’s birthday slumber party the day after tomorrow to talk to them all, and in person conversations were probably better for a topic like this anyway.

Then there was Adrien. If his dietitian was akumatized, there was no way that the meeting had gone well. The most logical conclusion was the boy was clinically underweight. Aside from bringing him food regularly, she was pretty sure it was out of her hands to help.

Next was Cat Noir. When hit by the blast, he was quite a bit taller than she was. More importantly was how he had filled out and seemed more proportional and healthy. Maybe she should start bringing him food more often too?

Lastly, there was her own body to consider. Of all the topics bouncing around in her brain, this sounded the simplest to resolve. It didn’t involve trying to analyze someone else’s thoughts, just her own. And yet, it was still complicated. 

Part of her wasn’t surprised that she didn’t change much when hit by the akuma. The height difference was minimal, although she had secretly hoped to take after her father rather than her mother when it came to her height. All in all, a few extra inches didn’t bother her one way or another.

She had never felt too self conscious about her weight. The added curves had been pretty minimal, not shocking at all. She hadn’t thought much of it when hit by the blast initially, but after seeing how drastically Cat Noir had changed, she realized it could have been a bigger change.

Marinette popped in the bakery to see her parents before going up to her room. Her mother tried not to get overly worried when there was an akuma at the school, especially with how often that seemed to happen, but Marinette knew it was best for her to reassure her.

“Hi, maman,” she called as she came through the door.

“How was school today?”

“Other than the akuma it was fine,” she responded as nonchalantly as she could.

“I saw that. It didn’t seem like it did a lot of collateral damage, was it mind based?”

“No, it was Adrien’s dietitian, actually. The blasts just gave people the ‘perfect body’, so no pain or physical damage.”

“Were you hit?’

“Um, yeah, I was,” she said as she hugged her mother.

“...and?” Sabine prompted.

“I got a few inches taller and just a smidge more curvy,” Marinette answered with a shrug. “Not a huge difference.”

“Was it like that for everybody else?”

“I don’t know, I know they all got hit after I left.”

“You left?!”

“I was helping Adrien get out of the way, the akuma was after him.”

Sabine looked her daughter up and down. “I appreciate that you help your friends, but please be more careful in the future. I know Ladybug sets everything back to rights in the end, but I would rather you didn’t have any traumatic experiences as a general rule.”

“I understand, maman,” Marinette replied. She snagged a few cookies before giving her mother another quick hug. “I’m going to go work on homework now.”

She headed up to her room as fast as she could, eating one of the cookies in her hand. Usually she didn’t tell her mom about akumas, to avoid lying any more than she had to, but this one was pretty different. 

“Your mom handled that pretty well,” Tikki said when they got to Marinette’s room. She took the other cookie and sat on the desk.

“She put up a good front, but I’m willing to bet she’s more freaked out than she’s letting on.”

“It’s just because she cares for you.”

“I know,” Marinette said. She dropped her bag by her chair and pulled out her tablet. Her email partner was probably going to be her best bet for talking through some of the akuma aftereffects, since basically everyone had been hit so it wouldn’t be a dead giveaway. 

**So the akuma today was right in line with last week’s lesson, how weirdly timed was that?**

_ Weird timing is right. I wonder how many people want to go back and change their answers after seeing what a “perfect” body looks like for themselves. _

**Do you want to change your answer?**

_ Yeah, I think I do. Luckily, the changes were mostly things I can make happen over time. Nothing impossible. What about you? _

**My answer stands, honestly. Though I am slightly bummed now that I know my full adult height and it is not impressive.**

_ I’m glad it wasn’t too traumatic for you. I am genuinely worried that a few friends are struggling with even more issues now than they were before. _

**There’s a good opportunity for some group discussion coming up soon for me, so I plan to focus on being a good listener for them since I don’t have much that I need to say.**

_ Are you a listener often for people? Like are you someone that people feel comfortable pouring their heart out to? That’s the vibe I’ve gotten through our conversations _

**Yes and no? I listen whether or not they are speaking to me directly, but that might be better defined as being observant. I’ve been doing a lot more listening this year than before though**

_ And how many people do you feel truly listen to you? _

**Asking the tough questions, huh? Um… truly listen to me? I guess two. One of them is newer at being that close. And I listen to both of them, so it feels balanced. Sometimes I don’t even realize I’ve been talking a bunch because they make me feel that comfortable.**

_ I know what you mean. I’m glad you have people like that, I only have a few and they mean the world to me. I have to go now, but I hope you have a good night <3 _

\--------------

After dinner, Marinette headed up to her balcony. She wanted to go out as Ladybug for a bit and see if Cat Noir was out too. She took a moment to enjoy the view, leaning her elbows on the railing and taking a deep breath.

“You ok?”

Marinette jumped nearly a full foot in the air at the sudden question. She shrieked and spun around to see Cat Noir landing gracefully behind her.

“Cat Noir, you scared me!” she said, trying to catch her breath.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said quietly.

“I think the better question is, are you ok?” she asked, concerned.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I, um, I asked you first.”

“I’ll only answer if you sit down,” she said firmly and he did as she asked. “Um, so that akuma was at my school today…”

“Yeah, I know,” he said, looking at the floor. “I know you got hit trying to protect that model.”

“Everyone in our class got hit, it wasn’t Adrien’s fault that I got a blast,” she said sharply. 

“How are you handling it?”

“I’m fine, it wasn’t a big deal.”

“Really?”

Marinette looked over to see Cat Noir looking at his arm. He had his left hand closed around his right wrist, and she noticed that his thumb and middle finger overlapped. She walked over and wrapped her hand around his wrist, and her hand wasn’t big enough to close around it.

“It’s all about perspective,” she said softly, crouching down in front of the hero. “There are things we can change and things we can’t. Did I like being a little taller? Yes. Can I make myself grow? No. If I could already would have done that,” she laughed.

“What about things that need to change?”

“Is it something you truly have control over?”

He sat silently, shifting to hold her hands and running his thumbs across her knuckles. “Not really, not without hiding things.”

“Hiding things?”

“My food intake is, uh, monitored.”

“Most parents monitor their kids’ food, that’s why we all eat enough vegetables, right?” She watched his face and caught a flicker of pain there before he made himself appear calm.

“I guess.”

“If you want more food, this is the best place you can find! Believe it or not, we have things to eat here.”

“I couldn’t ask you for-”

“You’re not asking, I’m offering. What would you like?”

He made eye contact with her then, clearly torn between politely declining and eagerly accepting her offer. After a few moments, he said, “Anything you offer sounds delicious.”

“Ok, how about you come sit in my room while I run down to the kitchen and see what we have?”

The pair climbed down from the balcony, and Cat Noir took a seat on her chaise lounge. Marinette continued down to the kitchen, where she quietly put together a snack tray. She grabbed an apple, some bread, and warmed up a bowl of soup. It wasn’t long before she was climbing back up to her room.

Cat Noir’s face lit up when he saw her, but then he looked guilty. “You didn’t have to make much for me.”

“...did you not see how fast I put this together? This was easy.” She handed him the tray and took a seat at her desk. “Eat up, buttercup.”

She didn’t have to tell him twice. He devoured everything on the tray, and she could tell from the noises he made that he thought it was delicious. She couldn’t help but smile as she watched.

“Thank you, that was wonderful.”

“This was not a one-time deal, sir. Anytime you need something to eat and a place to hang out, you’re more than welcome back.”

“Really?”

“Of course!”

“How are you so nice?” he asked as she took the tray from him. She froze, and he chuckled. “You’re gorgeous and talented and kind and I don’t understand why people aren’t fighting to be friends with you.”

She turned to set the tray down on her desk and took the moment to compose herself. “I have friends,” she said, sitting back down in her desk chair. “My class elected me as the representative.”

“I wish I had more people like you in my life.”

“If it wasn’t clear enough before, I will say this clearly now. I am your friend, Cat Noir.”

He got up and held his arms open, so she got up from her seat to hug him. She had hugged him before as Ladybug, but she somehow felt smaller like this.

“Thank you,” he said quietly. “That means the world to me.”

A moment later, he stepped back. “I need to go home, I have some homework to do tonight. I can’t thank you enough for letting me in.”

“Any time, Cat Noir. You’re always welcome here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Sorry for the delay, I was at Disney yesterday and today and guess who is now completely sunburnt  
> -I truly do not think Marinette's parents know that she is Ladybug  
> -Oh whoops where did this Marichat come from?


	42. Blessing

Marinette made it to school Thursday morning with only a minute to spare. She got a bright smile from Adrien as she rushed by, and she couldn’t help but smile in return. Ms Bustier was kind enough to pretend not to notice how close Marinette had cut it.

Next week was going to be a lot of tests as they got closer to spring break, which meant most of the classes were review based. Marinette appreciated the worksheet assignments, since they reminded her of sections she hadn’t paid much attention to because of akuma battles. On her math worksheet, she realized there was an equation that she one hundred percent did not recognize, and she started to get worried. Needing to focus and study was one thing, but needing to learn some of these sections from scratch on a tight schedule? 

Before everyone split for lunch, Marinette made sure to get Adrien’s attention.

“You said math was one of your good subjects, right?” she asked.

“Yeah! And you said history was your strong point?” he asked back eagerly.

“Yep!”

“I’m assuming you’re asking because of that math worksheet. I think I have some time on Sunday, I’ll ask Nathalie if we can do a study session. Is that ok?”

“That would be perfect, actually,” she said with a smile. “Thanks, Adrien, I really appreciate it.”

“What are friends for?”

He gave her a quick hug before hurrying out the door. Marinette paused for a moment before picking up her bag, mentally noting that she would have passed out a few months ago after a conversation like that. Now she just felt warm and fuzzy instead of hyperventilating.

As she walked home for lunch, she pulled out her phone and checked her messages. Interestingly, she had a text from Kagami.

_ KT: Hello, Marinette. I wanted to ask if you had plans this weekend _

**MDC: Unfortunately, I’m kind of booked solid for the next few days. What’s up?**

_ KT: Understandable _

_ KT: I have some writing samples I wanted to get your feedback on, as well as a chance to talk with you considering the last encounter ended abruptly _

**MDC: I don’t know what your weekday afternoon availability usually is, but Wednesday would work for me if it works for you**

_ KT: Wednesday does work for me. Thank you, Marinette _

**MDC: Of course! I look forward to seeing you, Kagami**

By the time Marinette finished texting with Kagami, she had made it home and into the kitchen. She smiled as she thought of her unexpected guest the night before. She did want to check in on Cat Noir as Ladybug, as he wouldn’t know that she knew how he was doing after the last akuma if she only talked to him as Marinette.

She couldn’t help but wonder how it would be easier to support him if he knew who she was. After last night, she wasn’t as worried that he would be disappointed in knowing that she was Marinette. He seemed to like her well enough as herself.

Once she had quickly eaten a sandwich, she grabbed an apple and headed up to her room. She had about fifteen minutes or so before she needed to get back to school, and she didn’t ever seem to have enough time to talk to some of the other kwamis in her care.

She opened the Miracle box and picked up the turtle Miraculous, allowing Wayzz to appear. Tikki and Wayzz greeted each other enthusiastically, and Marinette gave Wayzz a piece of her apple.

“The last akuma may have shaken Cat Noir up more than he wants to admit,” Marinette said.

“He did seem pretty quiet when he was here last night,” Tikki agreed.

“He came here? Did you tell him who you are already?” Wayzz asked, confused.

“I haven’t told him yet, but more and more I think I should,” she said, frowning. “From what I can tell, he doesn’t have the best home life, and I think he needs more personal support. Not only would it mean the world to him to know who I am, I would be able to help him more often if I didn’t have to wait for us to be transformed.”

“It’s about taking care of him?” Tikki asked.

“Yes. I’m sure it would be nice to have another person know who I really am, but his situation seems worse.”

“What you need is also important,” Wayzz said gently. “Don’t put others before yourself.”

“All I do is put others before me!” Marinette shouted as she got up from her seat and started pacing around the room. “I save the city instead of sleeping or studying or literally anything else I could be doing. I have let down friends and family time and time again to keep Hawkmoth from destroying everything. I feel guilty if I spend an entire day just doing what I want instead of doing something for someone else, but it’s still not enough! Look at Cat Noir, or Adrien, or Juleka, or any of my other friends! How can I do something fun for me when they are struggling with issues?”

“You can’t take care of others well if you yourself are falling apart,” Tikki warned. “Taking care of yourself is part of taking care of them too.”

“I just need more hours in the day! Or days in the week! Or a second version of me!”

“There is no simple solution to this,” said Wayzz. “Maybe you’re right about revealing yourself to Cat Noir, only so he can make sure you take care of yourself properly.”

“Really? I didn’t think you’d come around on this so soon.” Marinette stopped and stared at the little green kwami.

“Master Fu had Marianne, even if he didn’t spend as much time with her as he wanted. He still knew that someone out there cared for him. He also had you. I know you didn’t know him long, but he was incredibly proud of you.”

“Don’t cry!” Tikki flew over to cuddle Marinette’s cheek.

“I just feel like I’m letting him down,” Marinette sobbed. “Hawkmoth keeps getting stronger and I’m over here feeling like I might fall apart!”

“When the moment is right, you have the official kwami blessing to tell him who you are. I have no doubt he will reveal himself in turn.” Wayzz gave a solemn bow and Marinette smiled through her tears.

“Thank you, Wayzz,” she said as she placed the miraculous back in the box and closed it up. She hid it in a drawer of fabric scraps and stepped back, double and triple checking that it was thoroughly hidden.

“When do you think you’ll talk to him?” Tikki asked.

“I’m not sure,” Marinette said with a sniffle. “I don’t want to rush it. If he’s going through something, I need to make sure this doesn’t make him feel like I’m ignoring his problems to focus on mine.”

“Whatever you think is best.”

Marinette did her best in the mirror to hide the fact that she had cried before heading out of the house. She managed to get back to the classroom before most of the other students, so she took her seat and got back to work on her math worksheet. She could vaguely hear Lila chattering away when she entered, but she just couldn’t bring herself to care enough to listen and find out what the gossip was today.

“The auction for the Ladybug painting closes tomorrow and I am DYING to know who wins it,” Alya said as soon as she sat down. Marinette looked up to find Alya glued to her phone. “We know a lot of celebrities were bidding, and I fully expect that the winner will be bragging on Twitter.”

“Does it say how much the highest bid is right now?” Marinette asked, genuinely curious.

“Too high for you to ever afford, Dupain-Cheng.” Marinette looked over to see Chloe trying to glare at her, although the look lacked the intensity it usually had.

“I wasn’t planning to bid on it, but since I helped Jagged with the publicity I am pretty interested in how it’s going. Considering Ladybug has never done anything like this before, it only makes sense that I would be interested. I didn’t think you were still a fan of her, anyway.”

“I’m NOT a fan of Ladybug anymore, you’re right,” Chloe snapped. “But everyone knows you don’t have to like an artist to appreciate their work. My mother can’t stand most of the designers she knows but she still wears their best designs.”

Marinette bit back her response about how most designers couldn’t stand Audrey Bourgeois either, but she knew it would only get nastier if she did. Instead, she turned back to Alya.

“Yeah, so it’s up to two million euros,” Alya said, showing Marinette her phone.

“Two million? Seriously?” Marinette couldn’t help but gasp as she looked at the screen and confirmed that indeed, someone was willing to pay two million euros for something she had made.

“Isn’t it amazing? Hopefully she does this more often, as that could really help charities raise funds.”

“I don’t expect it to be common.” Adrien sat down and turned around to face the girls and join the conversation. “If she does it more often, there’s a higher chance someone could use it to figure out her identity.”

“That’s a stretch,” Alya scoffed. “Unless she’s secretly an artist who has other work on display under her real name and people compare it.”

“Is that really so hard to imagine? She’s amazing at everything she does,” he said with a dreamy smile. Marinette had to pinch herself to stop from smiling too widely.

“How does it compare to the other items that are available?” Marinette asked to redirect the conversation.

“Next is a signed guitar from Jagged that’s nearly at one million, everything else is below that mark,” Alya said, scrolling through the listings.

Ms Bustier came in and the class got back to work, but Marinette kept thinking about the auction. It was amazing to be making a difference as Ladybug with something that truly came from who she was as Marinette. That painting hadn’t required the powers she got from her Miraculous; it was purely her own creativity, passion, and ability that had gone into the painting. It was exactly the boost she needed after her lunchtime conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Marinette just needs some good support  
> -Who do you think is going to win the auction?  
> -Personal update about me, I have an IMDb page now which is WILD


	43. Caliginous

“Marinette, wake up NOW!”

Marinette jolted awake at the sound of her kwami’s concerned shouting. “What is it?”

“There’s an akuma making things dark, you need to transform!”

Marinette scrambled out of bed and rushed out to her balcony. She looked around the city and noticed that there was a dark fog along some of the streets.

“Tikki, spots on!” The transformation gave her a bit of an adrenaline rush to help wake her up, but not enough. She checked her yoyo to see if Cat Noir was transformed yet. When he didn’t appear on the screen, she sighed and started to swing through the city, looking for where the fog was darkest.

She followed the path until she could no longer see her hnd in front of her face. She cursed her lack of night vision before pulling out her yoyo to check for her partner again. There was a glowing green paw print moving fast and she breathed a sigh of relief to know her partner was on his way.

“I am Caliginous and I will ensure the world remains in total darkness!”

Ladybug stayed frozen where she was, worried about flailing around and getting hurt in the darkness. She knew Cat Noir would find her with his night vision, and now that she knew he was on the way she took a deep breath.

It was only a few minutes alone before she heard the sound of boots landing softly behind her. “You can’t really see, can you my Lady?” he asked softly before putting his hand on her shoulder and turning her around.

“Nope, not at all,” she said just as quietly. “He said his name was Caliginous and he’s making everything dark.”

“Why would he make everything dark in the middle of the night?” Cat asked.

“Good question,” she said. She put her hands out and he took them so she had a better sense of where he was standing. “I didn’t want to move until you got here. I don’t know how much help I’m going to be in this fight.

There was a pause as he looked around. “This roof is probably the safest place for you to be. I’ll fight him and bring the akuma over for you to capture. We’ll use our earpieces and you can listen to everything he says and let me know if he drops clues about the akumatized object.”

“Are you sure? I feel bad not jumping in with you.”

“I know you have my back, and this time I have yours. Trust me, I want to go back to bed just as much as you do.”

Ladybug laughed softly before pulling her earpiece out of her yoyo. She guessed from the sounds she was hearing that he had done the same.

“Well then, let’s not keep Caliginous waiting,” she said confidently. She listened carefully and heard Cat Noir jump away with his baton, and it was only a few seconds before she felt terribly alone.

“Good evening, Caliginous? Or is it good morning? Not sure it’s good at all with you being a problem!”

“Cat Noir, how wonderful to see you! I look forward to developing this fight!”

“Developing?”

“I’m a photographer, you see, and my roommate keeps opening doors and windows while I’m developing my negatives. I started doing it at night, both to avoid him and to avoid excess light, but the drunk idiot stumbled in and flipped on every light switch he could reach! My project was ruined!”

“That sucks, but I don’t think all of Paris deserves to be plunged into darkness because of one bad roommate.”

“What do you know about roommates? I’m sure you and Ladybug live together perfectly happily! I’ll put a stop to that when I take your Miraculous!”

Marinette tried not to shout as she heard the sounds of active fighting. This akuma thought she lived with Cat Noir? What?

“I wish I lived with my Lady!” Cat was shouting between landing blows. “I’m sure she would be an amazing roommate! But alas, we are not destined to spend every moment of our lives together!”

Usually she would tell him to shut up about their personal lives, but she was perfectly okay with Hawkmoth knowing the heroes did not live together. But was that Hawkmoth who thought that, or just the akuma?

“Regardless, I will make all of Paris black as night so I can develop my photos whenever I please!”

“What would you take photos of if everything was pitch black, huh?”

There was a pause, then a crash and a triumphant whoop from Cat Noir. Then there was another crash and a laugh from the akuma.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t protect my camera, you foolish hero?”

Ladybug couldn’t wait any longer. “Lucky Charm!” she called, and felt something land in her hand. Something rectangular, with a button…

When she pressed the button, there was a blinding flash of light, followed but a screech. The lucky charm was a flash that was sure to upset the villain!

“There you are, Ladybug. So glad I’ve finally spotted you!”

There was the sound of Cat Noir’s baton connecting with something solid. “That was lame, and that’s coming from me.”

Ladybug continued to use the flash to disorient the akuma, and eventually Cat Noir was able to grab the camera. He made sure to land next to Ladybug before smashing it, and she lashed out her yoyo to purify the akuma by instinct. She threw the lucky charm in the air and called for her cure, returning the city to regular darkness instead of magic darkness.

Ladybug and Cat Noir walked forward to find a distraught young man. “Are you alright?” she asked.

“No,” he answered back. “The pictures my roommate ruined were part of my senior project. Now I don’t know what I’ll be presenting in class, and if I fail-”

“Work with what you have,” Ladybug said gently. “I… I’m an artist too, and sometimes you think a project is ruined because of a mistake. But if you can take that mistake and make it work for you instead of against you, the whole piece will be stronger for it.”

“Thank you, Ladybug,” he said, standing up slowly. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Can you get home on your own?” Cat Noir asked.

“Yeah, this is my building actually. Thank you both for saving me.”

“Any time.”

The pair jumped away to a nearby rooftop, leaving the victim behind to trudge wearily up the stairs.

“Hey Cat, before you go, I just wanted to ask you something.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“We didn’t really get the chance to talk about how the last akuma affected us, and I wanted to see how you were doing. It, uh, changed you pretty drastically.”

“Oh, the body one? Yeah there were changes but like nothing I couldn’t handle, you know?”

“I don’t know, actually, that’s why I’m asking.”

Cat Noir rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Right. Um, yeah, it wasn’t my favorite akuma, but it didn’t hurt or anything. Besides, I dropped in on a friend who helped me out.”

“A friend?”

"Yeah,” he said, and she wasn’t sure if it was a trick of the light but it almost looked like he blushed a little. “Um, you know her, it’s Marinette.”

“Right, Marinette.” She resisted the urge to tease him, only because she was too tired to spend extra time out of bed now that she knew he was doing okay. Not great, but okay.

“If I had to list the people I trust most in my life, she’s like the second person on the list, right behind you.”

“Really?” she gasped.

“Yeah.”

“Wow.”

“This conversation is great and all, but you’re about to change back and I want to try and cram in a little more sleep before school.” Cat Noir grabbed his baton but waited for her to move.

“Right! Sleep. Sleep is good. Yep. Have a good day at school?”

“Yeah, you too,” he laughed as he bounded away.

Ladybug flew along the streets until she landed safely on her own balcony and dropped her transformation.

“He really trusts you, doesn’t he?” Tikki said as Marinette climbed back down the ladder to her bed.

“He does. He won’t trust me less when he finds out who I am, right?”

“I don’t think so. He’s never asked you about Multimouse.”

“That’s true.” Marinette rolled over to check her phone and groaned when she realized she only had another two hours before she needed to get up for school.

“Tikki?”

“Yes?”

“I’m gonna be exhausted all weekend, aren’t I?”

“...probably, yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Oh look, it's another chapter that wasn't in my outline and kind of wrote itself?  
> -Lady!Noir trust is so important!  
> -Hawkmoth is fishing for info  
> -Artist Ladybug advice  
> -My best friend is here for a quick visit so I am very happy =D


	44. Sleepover

Marinette essentially sleepwalked through the entire morning at school. Dragging herself from her bed was miserable, and even Tikki was grumpy about leaving the house. Her mother made some comment about how she shouldn’t be staying up late to work on projects on school nights and Marinette couldn’t string together enough of a sentence to refute it.

Alya was buzzing with excitement all day, although she did mention that she was bummed to have missed the akuma during the night because she had slept through it. Marinette tried to act like she had no idea that there had been a battle, but she couldn’t muster up enough energy to sound very surprised. Adrien also seemed tired, but Marinette just assumed that he had done an early photoshoot.

Luckily, Marinette had figured out her plan for the day well in advance. As soon as school was over, she would pop home to pick up her present for Alya and the cake her parents had made. That still meant she needed to stay awake, which was proving more and more difficult as the hours dragged by.

She broke down and decided to go home and take a nap during her lunch break. Usually a nap did more harm than good for Marinette; sometimes she woke up absolutely hating the world if she slept during the day. However, desperate times called for desperate measures and she knew she had a very long night ahead of her.

Marinette ate a sandwich as fast as she could when she got home and went straight to bed. Tikki didn’t even comment, choosing to curl up next to her Chosen and falling asleep quickly. Marinette made sure to set an alarm on her phone before passing out under her covers.

It felt like only a few moments had passed before the alarm was blaring in her ear. She sat up and glanced around the room, disoriented. Had this morning even happened, or had she dreamed getting up after the akuma battle? She looked down and saw she was already dressed, which suggested the morning really had happened. She shrugged and gathered her things to go back to school for the afternoon. They stopped in the kitchen for Tikki to grab a macaron before heading out the door.

Adrien was already in his seat when she walked in, and he looked just as tired as she felt. She made sure to smile at him, and he blinked as though waking up even though his eyes had been open.

“Hey, Marinette,” he said. “I noticed you seemed kind of tired this morning, so I brought you this.” He handed her a coffee cup from her favorite cafe.

“Oh, you didn’t have to get me anything!” she exclaimed, feeling guilty.

“You take care of me, I take care of you,” he said with a shrug. “It’s not a big deal, and I know you have a long night with the girls.”

She took a sip of the drink and smiled. “You even got my favorite! Thanks, Adrien.”

“I’m glad you like it. I wasn’t sure what to get, so I got my work friend’s favorite and hoped for the best.” He watched her for a moment before continuing. “You remind me of her a lot actually.”

“Maybe you can introduce us at a photo shoot sometime,” Marinette said carefully. 

“A photo shoot?” he asked, confused. “Oh, right! A photo shoot! Because she’s a work friend! Right. Yeah, maybe.”

Marinette wasn’t sure if it was the sleepiness or being distracted by her drink, but she could have sworn that Adrien was panicking like he was covering a lie. That was an odd reaction to have…

“You’re into the caffeine already? Girl, you have a long way to go!” Alya laughed as she sat down.

“Don’t I know it,” Marinette mumbled back as she took another sip.

“You ready for tomorrow, Adrien?” Nino asked as he sat down and greeted his friend with a fistbump.

“Totally! I’m sure whatever the plan is Alya will love it.”

\--------------

Marinette was walking carefully, balancing Alya’s present on top of the cake box. It wasn’t a long walk from the bakery to Alya’s, but it wasn’t easy when carrying important packages. She heard footsteps behind her, and she struggled to glance discretely over her should to see if it was someone she knew.

“Need a hand?” Cat Noir stepped in front of her, and she gasped.

“Is there an akuma?” she asked, trying not to panic.

“No, I just had a little time to kill and wanted to check something out,” he said nonchalantly. “But since I’m here, would you like some help with all that?”

Marinette paused. Would it really be fair to accept his help for something so small? But then, she knew from his comments that he felt close to her, and that was going to be a good thing when the reveal happened. Was this the right time for the reveal? No, it wasn’t; she needed to stay focused on Alya’s birthday and supporting her friend. Would Cat Noir be willing to say hi to Alya for her birthday? He knew she had been a hero so it wasn’t like it was random. But would that look suspicious? Hawkmoth knew Alya’s identity too so it couldn’t be that bad and-

“You can say no,” he said softly, and she realized she had just been standing still staring at him as her thoughts had spiraled.

“Actually, that would be really helpful,” she said and pretended not to notice his sigh of relief. “Take the present, please?”

“Certainly,” he said, gently taking the package from her. Instantly the cake box was easier to hold and the walk didn’t seem nearly as long. They strolled along together, enjoying the nice weather.

“So who’s birthday is it?”

“It’s my best friend’s Alya’s birthday this weekend.”

“The Ladyblogger?”

“Yep,” Marinette said, popping the “p”. 

“What are the chances she would like it if I came up and said hi? You know so I could help you with the door and all. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to a cake as delicious as that one must be.”

“...are you trying to get a piece of cake?”

“How could you accuse me of such ungentlemanly motivations? I’ll have you know that I am a gentle cat bred in high society!”

“I’m sure Alya will let you have a piece.”

“As tempting as that is, I can only stay long enough to say hi. I’ve got a pretty full schedule, and got lucky to have even this much time on my own.”

“Oh, well then, I am very honored that you chose to spend your brief time making my best friend happy.”

“If it makes you happy, that’s all that matters.”

Marinette blushed hard at that. Since when did her partner flirt with her as Marinette?

“Let me get the door for you!” he said, stepping forward to grab the handle.

“Thank you,” she responded automatically. Once inside he let her lead, and she headed up the stairs to get to Alya’s apartment. She knocked and realized that Cat was hiding behind her. Well, trying to hide behind her anyway. Since when was he so tall?

The door opened, and Marinette watched Alya’s face scrunch in confusion. “Who’s that behind you?” she asked.

“Surprise!” shouted Cat Noir as he jumped to reveal himself. “Happy birthday Alya!”

“How?” Alya gasped. “What?”

“I saw Marinette trying to carry the cake and the present, and when I found out it was for your birthday I just had to help bring it over and also tell you happy birthday in person. Ladybug says happy birthday too.”

Marinette smiled. Ladybug certainly would want to tell Alya happy birthday, even if Cat Noir didn’t technically know that.

Alya was trying to talk, but she couldn’t get more than a high pitched squeal to come out. Marinette walked in the apartment and set the cake down, but Cat Noir stayed at the door. She came back and took the package from him.

“Thank you for your help, Cat Noir.” She smiled at him, and he smiled back. “I really appreciate it, and if Alya wasn’t speechless I’m sure she would say the same thing.”

He laughed and stepped forward to give both girls a quick hug. “I have no doubt. Alya is a foxy lady,” he said with a wink. “Bye!”

He took off down the hall, and Marinette gently pushed Alya back inside and closed the door.

“Did that really just happen?” Alya breathed.

“The part where he hugged you? Or told you happy birthday? Or called you foxy?” Marinette laughed. “Yeah, that was all real.”

There was another high pitched squeal from the birthday girl as she crushed her best friend in a hug. “You are the coolest friend ever! You got a superhero to come to my door and tell me happy birthday!”

“I didn’t make him do that,” she laughed. “That was a happy coincidence.”

“I’m not going to dig into why he recognized you and wanted to help,” Alya said sternly. “But please know that after my birthday we will be discussing this.”

“I expect nothing less.”

The girls put the finishing touches on the decorations around the room as the rest of the group arrived. Mylene was the first to get there, but Rose and Juleka were not far behind. Alix skated up and hit a cool pose that made the rest of the girls laugh. Marinette thought everyone had arrived, but there was another knock at the door. When Lila came in, Marinette felt her heart sink. This was not going to be as much fun as she thought.

“Now that everyone is here, I can tell you what Marinette did!” Alya launched into a dramatic retelling of Cat Noir’s visit, and Marinette caught Lila looking bitter. No doubt she wasn’t happy that Marinette had gotten Alya a face to face meeting with a superhero. The rest of the girls reacted wildly, eating the story up.

Next was prepping dinner. They were building their own individual pizzas, and Alya had gathered as many different toppings as she could. The room was filled with pleasant chatter as they all decorated their pizzas and waited to bake them.

Marinette didn’t notice that Lila had crept up behind her until she heard a whisper in her ear. “Close to the cat, are we?”

“Today was a happy coincidence,” Marinette replied quietly. “He saw me trying to carry the cake and the present and wanted to help.”

“And how does someone like you know a hero?”

“I helped him when Nathaniel was akumatized,” she hissed back. “Check the Ladyblog, there are photos.”

“What a convenient answer,” Lila sniffed and walked away.

Marinette tried to focus on having fun and chatting with the other girls as the evening continued. Luckily for her, Lila seemed to be doing her best not to sit near her. After pizza, it was time for Alya to open her presents.

Mylene gave her a custom Ladyblog button, which Alya proudly pinned to her shirt. Rose gave her a Ladybug journal, and Juleka gave her a matching fancy pen set. Alix joked about getting her a helmet, before giving her a new shatter-proof case for her phone, commenting that it was the same brand as the one she used that had saved her phone after a few choice roller blading tumbles. Lila gave her a gift card and said that the present she had originally planned just hadn’t worked out. Marinette couldn’t help but wonder if she had told Alya she would get her a meeting with Ladybug…

Alya opened Marinette’s gift last. It was a black canvas, and Marinette had done a wheel of color, with each section being painted to match every hero that had been seen. She had taken the time to put in as much detail as she could without giving anything away. She also left off Aspik and Multimouse, as those heroes had never been seen by the public.

“This is amazing, Marinette! Thank you!” Alya said, turning it so everyone could see. 

“I didn’t realize how many heroes have been seen,” Juleka said. 

“And you got them all, even the rare ones!” Rose cheered.

“How many heroes are there all together?” Mylene asked.

“Ten, can you believe it? Well,” Marinette corrected herself. “Ten heroes. Hawkmoth and Mayura are Miraculous wielders as well, but they aren’t heroes.”

“I love it!” Alya gave her a hug, and then hugged the other girls. “Who’s ready for cake?”

Everyone eagerly dug in to the tasty treat, and Marinette was pleased to note that even Lila seemed to enjoy her piece. It wasn’t long before they were all lounging in the living room, full of pizza and sugar.

“All right, I’m gonna be the one to rip the bandaid off,” Alix said with no warning. “That body changing akuma on Wednesday was straight up WEIRD.”

Everyone glanced around nervously. “Oh come on,” Alix continued. “We were all there. Well, almost all of us. Marinette, it looked like you got hit on your way out the door with Adrien. Did you?”

“I did,” she admitted. “I was pretty focused on getting Adrien out of the akuma’s way, so I didn’t realize it at first.”

“So the changes must have been pretty minimal,” Alya noted.

“Yeah,” Marinette said. “I’m a little mad, I only got like two inches taller. I’m not that surprised given my mom’s height and all but I would have liked a bit more height.”

“Because of a different akuma I already knew my height, so no surprises there,” Alix said confidently. “I can’t wait until I grow into being the badass I know I can be.”

“I barely got taller, Marinette, so don’t feel bad about it,” Mylene said softly. “I, um, did get skinnier, which felt weird.”

“Weird?”

“Yeah, weird. I’ve kind of always been shaped like this, so it was different. I went to my doctor yesterday for a different reason but we talked about the akuma and my family history so they decided to run some tests, just to be sure. I might have some answers next week.”

“That’s scary,” Rose said. “I didn’t notice a lot of changes in myself, I can’t imagine needing tests.”

“The doctor didn’t seem too worried, so I’m trying not to think about it too much.” Mylene was looking at her hands instead of at anyone.

“I got to experience 20/20 vision for the first time in years, so that was fun,” Alya laughed to break the tension. “Everything else was minor changes.”

“I already have a perfect body, since I’m a model and all, you know,” Lila said smugly. Marinette focused on her breathing, as she didn’t want to start drama at Alya’s birthday party.

“I don’t really understand what happened,” Juleka said quietly. 

“How did you feel?” Marinette asked.

“Like I could truly breathe for the first time.”

“You fit better in your body?” Marinette encouraged.

“Yeah. Like everyone else is saying the changes weren’t that big, individually, but altogether I felt like a new person. I didn’t feel… trapped.”

“Do you want to make any of those changes permanent?” Marinette asked, sliding over to give Juleka a side hug.

“Possibly. It certainly gave me a lot to think about.”

\------------

The rest of the night was full of random, meandering conversations. As it crept closer to midnight, Alya pulled out her phone to check on the auction for the Ladybug painting. The bidding was creeping closer and closer to the three million mark.

“And… it is SOLD! 3.1 million dollars to an anonymous bidder! I can’t wait for someone to start bragging on Twitter!” Everyone laughed at Alya’s enthusiasm.

Marinette felt her phone vibrating in her pocket, so she pulled it out. She never really got calls late at night, but there was always a chance it was her parents. However, when she looked at the name, it said someone else…

“Hey, Uncle Jagged,” Marinette said as she answered. All of the girls froze and listened intently.

“I did see that the auction just closed! I can’t believe how much money that raised. Really? That’s amazing! Oh, hi Penny. No, you didn’t wake me up, I’m spending the night with a friend for her birthday. Hold on a moment.” Marinette pulled the phone away from her ear and pressed a button. “Ok, now you’re on speaker.”

“Happy birthday!” shouted Jagged Stone. “I hope you have a rockin’ time. I’m sure you will since you’re with Marinette.”

“Thanks, Jagged!” Alya shouted back.

“We’ll let you enjoy your night,” Penny said firmly.

“Goodnight Penny, Goodnight Jagged,” Marinette said before hanging up the call.

“What did he say about the auction? Was he the winner?” Alya asked.

“He didn’t win it, no. He was calling to say that with that auction we’ve just passed the fundraising goal for the whole month! Anything else that comes in now means even more programs.”

“Does he call you often?” Mylene asked.

“And since when do you call him your uncle?” Alix laughed.

“Penny’s pretty good about making sure he doesn’t call me too late at night. He asked me to call him Uncle Jagged a few months ago.”

The girls all gushed over Marinette, but she couldn’t help but notice Lila was sulking in the corner. Apparently the Italian girl hadn’t realized just how well connected Marinette was, even after the skydiving event.

Slowly, the adrenaline and sugar wore off and one by one the girls fell asleep. Alya and Marinette were the last two awake, although Marinette was fading fast.

“Thanks for such a great birthday,” Alya said after a big yawn.

“Anything for you,” Marinette answered before closing her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -If Adrien or Marinette drop any more clues, someone is going to trip  
> -Marichat strikes again  
> -Mylene's plot is going to be based on my own medical experiences from this point forward  
> -Jagged is totally the kind of person who forgets that other people have normal sleep schedules. I personally have a running list of celebrities who send project emails in the middle of the night, with two of the most recent being Jodi Benson and Richard Kind XD


	45. Morning After

Marinette awoke to the sound of quiet giggling. It took a few moments for her to realize it was the sound of her classmates and not kwamis. Slowly, she remembered that she was sleeping on Alya’s living room floor.

She pushed herself upright and stretched, unable to restrain a sleepily whine from escaping her mouth. There was another round of giggling, and she turned to see Rose and Mylene sitting on the couch watching her. 

“G’mornin’,” Marinette mumbled.

“Good morning!” Rose chirped back. 

“Who else is awake?” asked Marinette.

“Juleka and Alix are still out cold,” Mylene whispered. “Alya is in her room, she wanted to find out who won the painting so she could update the Ladyblog. Lila is in the bathroom getting dressed.”

Marinette yawned as she processed Mylene’s answer. She also couldn’t understand how morning people were able to be so cheerful so early. She got up and shuffled into Alya’s room, sitting on the bed and waiting for Alya to notice that she was up.

“No one has said anything!” Alya hissed in frustration. “No one has posted to say they won! I don’t want to put up an article that doesn’t include where the painting is going to end up!”

“Maybe they want to wait until the painting has been delivered and they can post photos of it?” Marinette said quietly.

“I guess? I know I wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret, that’s for sure.” Alya pushed back from her desk, looking over at Marinette. “Also good morning, I definitely thought you would be the last one to wake up.”

“It’s going to be a day full of surprises for you, then,” Marinette laughed. 

“We’ve got a few hours before the boys pick us up,” Alya said, checking her phone. “Who else is awake out there?”

“Mylene and Rose were on the couch talking, and they said Lila was in the bathroom.”

“Cool. Let me just go ahead and post the article about how much the painting sold for, and then I can edit it later whenever we find out who got it.”

It only took Alya a few moments to type a conclusion and upload the page. Marinette couldn’t help but smile as she felt her phone vibrate. She had set up notifications for the Ladyblog ages ago. Alya assumed it was so she could support her best friend, but Marinette also kept an eye on it for research purposes.

After becoming Rena Rouge, Alya had pulled back on the identity hunting and theory articles, but Marinette still monitored the comments closely. The last thing she needed was for someone to figure things out and then share it publicly. Not that she thought someone would, but she wanted to be ready for anything.

“What do you think I should wear today?” Alya asked, looking through things in her closet. “Oh! How about that really cute dress you made for me last month!”

“Maybe not a dress,” Marinette advised. “Nino mentioned wearing good shoes, so I think we’re doing something kind of active.”

“Good to know,” Alya replied, putting the dress back. “This shirt is cute, right?”

Marinette looked up from her phone to see Alya holding up a light orange peasant shirt that sat just off the shoulder. “Yeah, that looks good!”

“Awesome.” Alya pulled off her sleep shirt and tossed it toward her laundry basket. When it landed half in and half out, she just shrugged and went back to getting dressed. By the time Marinette looked up from her phone again, Alya was completely dressed.

“Looking cute!” she said, admiring the shirt paired with a pair of cuffed jeans.

“And feeling it! Go get dressed so we can start taking cute photos,” Alya said, shooing her from the room and grabbing her makeup bag.

Marinette went back out in the living room and noticed that everyone was now awake, although not everyone looked happy about it. She grabbed her bag and pulled out her outfit for the day. Lila was no longer in the bathroom, so Marinette went in to use the facilities and get dressed all at once.

She had planned her outfit as best she could without knowing what Nino’s plans included. She was wearing a customized spirit jersey and legging set that was pink with gray and black accents. Even though she had only been Multimouse once, she had really liked the color scheme but tried not to wear it too often. Today was a special occasion, so she decided to finally wear this particular outfit.

She made sure to get out of the bathroom as quickly as she could, knowing the rest of the girls would also need to go in. She started brushing out her hair, watching as everyone else bustled around. Alya’s mother was in the kitchen starting to make breakfast, and Marinette realized she hadn’t seen any of the rest of Alya’s family so far.

“Good morning, Mrs Cesaire,” she greeted.

“Good morning, Marinette! Did you sleep well?”

“I did, thank you.” Marinette watched as Mrs Cesaire poured crepe batter onto the hot pan. “Where is everyone else?”

“Otis is already at work for the day. Ella and Etta stayed with their grandparents for the night, and Nora is out of town for a big wrestling match.”

Marinette finished brushing her hair and parted it down the middle. She did it every day, so she didn’t need a mirror by now. Instead of doing her usual low ponytails, she put her hair in two buns as another nod to Multimouse.

Alya came out of her room and wandered over to the kitchen. “This smells amazing, Maman.”

“Can I use your makeup mirror quick?” Marinette asked Alya.

“Of course,” Alya answered.

Marinette didn’t usually wear a lot of makeup, but she knew today was all about photos. She had only packed eyeliner, lipstick, and mascara. Thanks to some quality time spent practicing at home over the last few months, she was able to get everything applied in just a few minutes.

It wasn’t long before the crepes were done, and all of the girls were seated in the living room enjoying breakfast. Lila kept glancing over at Marinette, but the Italian girl stayed quiet and focused on her plate. Marinette guessed she was unhappy with her for getting two different celebrity birthday messages for Alya.

“Now that we’re all dressed, we need to go take photos!” Alya announced. Everyone grabbed their phones and went down to the park across the street and had fun posing for photos. They took solo shots and group pictures, with a mixture of serious poses and silly faces.

Marinette watched Juleka move from pose to pose like a professional. When her turn was done, Marinette came over to sit beside her.

“You really could be a model, if you wanted to,” she said.

“You’re just being nice,” Juleka replied in a soft voice.

“I’m serious,” Marinette said. “You moved really gracefully and held each pose long enough for the photo without it feeling awkward.”

“You really think so?”

“I do,” Marinette said firmly. “Besides, you have the body type that is really popular. There is a huge trend toward people who aren’t gender conforming, so you could probably have a lot of fun defining your own sense of style.”

Juleka stared off into the distance for a few moments, and Marinette knew better than to push her point.

“Thanks, Marinette. I’ll think about it.”

“If you want me to pass along any examples, let me know.”

“Your turn, Marinette!” Alya shouted.

“Coming!” she shouted back. Before walking over, she gave Juleka a quick hug.

“Ok, so let’s do your photos on this bench over here,” Alya said, having lots of fun directing the amateur photoshoot.

Marinette climbed up so she was sitting on the back of the bench with her feet on the seat. She moved through a series of poses, drawing heavily on all of the fashion magazines she had spent hours analyzing. She wanted to show off the clothes without it seeming obvious. She alternated between smiling and looking series. The longer she modeled, the more fun she had with it. It required an understanding of how she positioned every part of her body while tracking where the camera was at all time and finding the best source of light. Eventually, she stopped being aware of everything around her.

It was the sound of applause that broke through her focus. When she looked up, she realized it was Adrien clapping. “You are a freaking natural!” he said with a smile. 

“She’s okay for an amateur,” Lila scoffed. 

“Ready for your surprise?” Nino asked Alya, leaning in to greet her with a kiss.

“Absolutely!”

Everyone went back up to Alya’s to grab their things while Adrien and Nino ate the last of the cake from the night before.

“Happy now?” Marinette asked, laughing when she noticed that Adrien had managed to get frosting on his nose somehow.

“Very happy,” he responded. “I like your outfit.”

“Thanks!” she said, proud that she managed to accept a compliment from him without blushing like a tomato. “I made it myself!”

“I expect nothing less from you.”

The rest of the girls said their goodbyes and left. Alya grabbed her phone as Nino and Adrien took their plates to the kitchen.

“Here we go!” Nino announced, and the four headed out together, ready for anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Now that everyone has social media, I assume teenagers do little photoshoots like this more often but that's me trying to guess as a millennial lol  
> -I want Marinette's outfit


	46. Escape

Nino led the way with Alya holding his hand. Adrien and Marinette walked behind them, both keeping their arms stiff so as to not awkward bump hands and make the other uncomfortable. They only had to walk a short distance before Nino stopped and handed Alya the gift bag he was carrying.

“Step one is opening this bag,” he said.

Alya ripped out the tissue paper and plunged her hand in, a look of excitement on her face. She pulled out four masks, each a different color. Nino took them to distribute them.

“Alya, you get the orange mask. Marinette gets the pink one, and Adrien gets the blue one. That leaves the green one for me.”

Marinette breathed a sigh of relief as she took the pink mask that was being offered. If it had been red, or even black, she might have had to come up with a terrible excuse to leave. The pink happened to match her outfit, but since Cat Noir was the only person who had seen her as Multimouse she figured her identity was pretty safe.

She looked over to see Adrien studying his mask carefully. “Why blue for Adrien?” she asked Nino. 

“It’s my favorite color,” Adrien said.

“Not specific enough, dude,” Nino teased. “When questioned, he said ‘the blue of Ladybug’s eyes,’ can you believe it?”

Adrien blushed, and Marinette stared at him. Did he really like Ladybug that much? And how much did her eyes change color with her transformation that he didn’t notice the similarity? Not that it mattered, since she had already decided that dating was off the table…

“So why do we need masks?” Alya asked, desperate for an answer.

“We’re almost there,” Nino said tauntingly. The group followed him around a corner and into the lobby of a fancy building. Nino went up the desk and talked to the receptionist who gave them a code for the elevator. The ride to their floor was short, and the elevator opened on to a room that had been decorated to look like something out of a dystopian sci-fi movie.

“Welcome, heroes,” said the man sitting in the corner. He looked like he’d been in a long battle. Marinette immediately started looking for an akuma.

“Happy birthday, Alya,” Nino said, turning to face the other three. “This is the opening day of this new escape room experience!”

Alya squealed with delight and nearly knocked Nino to the ground with a flying tackle hug. Marinette took a deep breath and laughed, relieved to know this was a simulation. Adrien seemed to have a similar reaction.

“Ok, everybody put their masks on.” Marinette realized the man must be an actor. “You four heroes are the last hope for the city. A monster is on the loose for months and no one has been able to stop it. When you step through the gate, you will have one hour to defeat the monster and save the city. Got it?”

“I was born ready!” Alya shouted. She was already tying on her mask and grinning from ear to ear.

“And now for some rules,” the actor continued. “No weapons are needed. Please don’t be rough with the puzzles, you shouldn’t have to force anything to work. You can ask for hints, but it will take minutes off the clock. At the end of the hour, the lights will pop on and we will come get you out if necessary. If you need to exit for any reason, your code word is ice cream. Everyone got it?”

Marinette had just finished tying on her mask. It felt odd, mainly because it was fabric and plastic instead of magic material. She nodded her agreement, and saw that everyone else had done the same. Marinette had seen Adrien with a mask once before as Aspik, and she couldn’t help but think it was a good look for him. His civilian identity hadn’t been compromised. Maybe he would be a good fit for one of the other Miraculous?

“Good luck, heroes,” the actor said as he opened the gate. The team stepped through and the gate closed silently behind them.

“Spread out and look for clues!” Alya said. Her voice was almost shaking with excitement. She ran to the pile of books in the corner.

Marinette stood in the center of the room and looked around. The space had been decorated to look like a classroom that had been destroyed. There were scorch marks on the walls and deep gashes that made it look like a dragon had rampaged through the area. There was a desk near the far wall, and Marinette guessed there would be a locked drawer they would have to unlock.

She walked over to check the desk, and sure enough there was a drawer on the right hand side that was locked. Luckily, it looked like it required a regular key. “I found something!” she announced.

Adrien came over to look over her shoulder. “As soon as we find a key, we’ll try it here,” he said confidently. He looked up at a picture on the next wall, and went over to look closer at it. Marinette followed, as she had a hunch that it was also important.

Adrien ran a hand over the picture, checking that nothing was attached. Next, he checked the frame. “Ah-ha!” he shouted as he pulled on the right side and the picture swung away from the wall, revealing a safe.

“Nice going Agreste!” Alya said, jumping up to come see the safe.

“Hold up, we need superhero names,” Nino said, coming over to see the safe as well.

“Well, Marinette has those cute little buns going on that look like mouse ears,” Adrien said sweetly. “She can be Sourisette!”

“Perfect!!” Alya said as Marinette tried desperately not to panic. “Nino, I know you love the ninja turtles, how about Michaelangelo?” 

“Heck yeah,” Nino replied. “You have a fox color scheme happening, so let’s call you Robin. Like Robin Hood!”

“Yeah!” Alya agreed. They all turned to look at Marinette.

“Uhhhhhh.” Marinette’s brain shut down. She couldn’t reference Adrien’s chosen hero name of Aspik without giving herself away. She couldn’t even reference the snake Miraculous. She didn’t want to reference any of the Miraculous that had never left the box. What did that leave?

“Paon? Like a peacock? Because his mask is blue?” she stammered. Alya snorted and Nino shook his head. Adrien simply tilted his head to the side.

“Sure,” he said. 

“Now that that’s settled, how do we open this safe?” Marinette said, desperate to turn the attention away from her. The safe had three number wheels, all of which were currently set to zero.

“There has to be a code somewhere,” Nino said, turning to look around the room again. The four all moved in different directions, searching the room for clues. 

Marinette drifted back to the desk, as it was the biggest piece of furniture in the room. She climbed under it and found a message carved above her head. “Books are the key to another place,” she read aloud.

“What?” Alya yelled.

Marinette climbed out from under the desk. “That’s what’s carved into the desk. ‘Books are the key to another place’.”

“Must be a clue over here then,” Alya said, pointing to the pile of books in front of a collapsed shelf. 

“Any pattern?” Adrien asked.

“Most of the books are black or dark blue, but there is one red book,” Alya said, pulling the red book out of the pile. 

“The Third Window?” Nino said, reading the cover.

“Let’s check the third from the left and the third from the right,” Marinette said. She walked over to the left, while Adrien went to the right. She inspected the frame carefully, but didn’t notice anything.

“Here!” Adrien shouted triumphantly. “There’s three numbers scratched in.”

Marinette came over to see them. “Dang, those are small,” she commented. “Good catch!” 

Adrien smiled brightly at her. “Thanks!”

Alya was standing at the safe. “What are the numbers?”

“One two seven,” Adrien said.

Alya spun the dials until they read 127 and opened the latch. Inside was a key. “Success!” she cheered, grabbing the key and running over to the desk. They key fit neatly into the lock, and Alya pulled the drawer open. Inside, there was a folded letter. 

“My dearest Juliette,” Alya read aloud. “I have done my best to keep the monster at bay, but I cannot fight it for long. All I can hope now is that you have made it to safety. If you find yourself trapped, remember I am always with yoU.” She scrunched her nose. “The letter ‘u’ at the end is capitalized.”

“That sounds like the key to a cipher,” Marinette said. “Like for cracking a code.”

“Like the letter ‘i’ corresponds to the letter ‘u’?” Nino asked.

“Exactly,” Marinette said. The further they got into the game, the more she found herself slipping into Ladybug mode. Every person in this room had been a hero she had selected, and her instinct to take charge was inescapable. “We need to find a string of letters somewhere.”

Adrien went back to the drawer. “There’s also this flashlight in here,” he said as he held up a small cylinder.

“Oops,” Alya chuckled. “Guess I got sidetracked by the letter.”

Adrien pressed the button on the end, and it turned out but didn’t provide much light. He frowned, pointing it around the room.

“Dude, that’s a blacklight!” Nino shouted. “Let me switch off the main lights!” He flipped the light switch on the wall by the gate, plunging the room into darkness. 

Adrien carefully moved the light around the room. As he moved across the blackboard behind the desk, Marinette caught a glimpse of what looked like writing. “The board!” she shouted. Adrien focused the light and caught the letter “L” on the board. Sweeping from left to right, the word “Ligyi” appeared.

Nino flipped the light back on, and Adrien pulled a pencil out of the drawer and flipped the letter over to the blank back. He wrote “Ligyi” in clear print before looking up at the others. “So, who’s good at cracking codes?”

Marinette stepped forward, and Adrien silently passed her the pencil. She wrote out the alphabet as normal, assigning each letter a number in order, where the letter “a” was equal to one, “b” to two, and so on. Under the letter “i” on her alphabet line, she wrote the letter “u”. On this new line, the letter “u” was equal to one, “v” was two, et cetera. She filled out the rest of the alphabet from the letter “u”, looping back around to “a” until all 26 letters were written. 

The mystery word, “Ligyi”, was letters 18 - 15 - 13 - 5 - 15. She carefully counted the letters from the second line, writing down the letters along the first line that corresponded to the numbers in the mystery word. She wrote down the last letter and realized that it spelled “Romeo”.

“Romeo is always with Juliette,” Adrien said.

“Wow, girl, you cracked that code like it was nothing!” Alya said. “I’m seriously impressed right now!”

“Is there a copy of Romeo and Juliette over in the book pile?” Marinette asked, laser focused on the mission at hand.

Nino started digging through the books, and a minute later he whooped triumphantly. “Got it!” he said, holding the book aloft. He flipped it open and found a message on the inside of the front cover. “It says, three o’clock is the perfect time to rise up.”

“There’s a clock on the wall above the board,” Adrien said. He looked down to see Marinette pushing the desk until it was up against the wall and climbing on to it. He stood behind her, ready to catch her if she fell.

“Three, right?” she asked over her shoulder as she felt around the edges of the clock.. 

“Yep.”

“It’s permanently attached to the wall,” she said. Eventually she felt a dial under her fingers along the right side. Marinette turned the dial until the hands said three o’clock. There was a chime, and then a panel of the wall popped open next to Nino.

Alya and Nino cheered while Adrien lifted Marinette off of the desk. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Marinette noticed that Adrien was looking at her like she was the sun. Her feet touched the ground gently, but Adrien didn’t immediately take his hands off of her waist. 

“Let’s go, Paon and Sourisette!” Alya yelled, running over to the opening in the wall. It wasn’t very big, and she had to crawl on her hands and knees to get through. 

“After you,” Adrien said, stepping back and gesturing toward the wall.

“Th-thank you,” Marinette stammered back.

Nino climbed through after Alya, and Marinette followed. Adrien was the last to climb through to the next room. 

This second room had been decorated to look like an outdoor park, even though they were clearly still inside. There was a tree in the far corner and a bench next to it. There was a note tucked in a hole in the tree trunk and Marinette made a beeline for it.

“Dear Juliette,” she read. “You are the light of my life. You bring color to my world when all I see is darkness.”

“Colored light?” Nino said.

Adrien spotted a box hidden behind the tree, but there was no latch on it. “Something must trigger it to open.”

“Look for a button of some kind,” Marinette said, immediately searching the room.

“Anyone notice there are six poles of the fence that aren’t black like the rest of them?” Alya said. “Two blue, two green, and two red?”

“You’re right,” Marinette said. “That probably correlates to the color part of the clue.”

“There’s a hole in each one, kind of like an audio jack,” Nino said, inspecting one of the blue fence posts.

“Something probably needs to be plugged in. Each colored post is on the opposite side of the room from its corresponding one.” Marinette looked around, noting the placement of the posts.

“I found a, well, I don’t know how to describe this,” Adrien said. He was crouched in the corner opposite from the tree. Marinette leaned over his shoulder to see what he was looking at. For a moment, she felt like she was Ladybug looking over Cat Noir’s shoulder. She shook the feeling off and looked closer.

“There’s two columns of 6 lights, some are red and some are green,” she said. “It looks like an answer key to me.” 

“There’s a hidden door over here!” Alya shouted. She was standing behind a small statue, pointing to a hatch in the back of the pedestal. When she opened it, there were two columns of switches like a breaker box.

“I assume green means on and red means off?” Adrien asked.

“I would assume so,” Marinette said. “Ok, Alya, I’ll tell you which ones to switch on!”

Marinette shouted the green lights locations and Alya flipped the corresponding switches. When the last switch was flipped, a loud alarm started blaring and the lights in the room went from regular light to pulsing colored lights. It took Marinette a moment to realize the lights were cycling from red to blue to green every two seconds.

“The lights make it really hard to tell which colored fence posts are which,” Nino said.

Marinette heard a small click and ran over to check the box behind the tree. Sure enough the box had popped open to reveal three coiled up sets of Christmas lights. She squinted, and from what she could tell the three cords were red, blue and green. When she pulled them out, she checked the ends and confirmed they would plug into the audio jack like openings on the posts.

“Plug this cord into the two red poles,” she shouted over the alarm, handing the first cord to Adrien. “Plug this cord into the two blue poles,” she told Alya as she handed her the second cord. “This one goes to the two green poles,” she said, giving the last cord to Nino.

Nino and Alya were able to plug their cords in without too many problems, but the opening on the second red pole was too high for Adrien to reach. Marinette walked over and Adrien crouched down. Without hesitating, Marinette climbed onto his shoulders. Adrien stood up and passed her the cord, which she plugged in with ease. As soon as it was in, the lights went back to normal and the alarm stopped blaring.

All four teens breathed a sigh of relief. “That alarm sucked,” Nino said, and they all laughed.

Suddenly, there was a loud roar and the team all jumped instinctively into battle positions. Marinette tried not to notice that Adrien was standing exactly like Cat Noir whenever he was startled. She also had to stop herself from reaching for her yoyo which was definitely not on her hip.

There was a flash of light, and then a hidden door opened and a new actor walked in. “I’m Romeo, and you saved me!”

“What?” Alya asked, echoing the confusion of the entire group.

“When I saw those lights, they reminded me of my Juliette and I stopped being the monster!”

Nino raised an eyebrow. “That was all it took? Seriously?”

The actor stared at them, clearly taken aback by their reactions. “Follow me,” he said, and they all walked out of the “park” and into the next room.

“Congratulations, you completed the escape room under the time limit!” said a very perky blonde girl holding a camera. 

“Actually, you managed to do it really fast,” grumbled the actor who had led them out.

“Hold up these signs and we’ll take a photo!” the blonde girl said, gesturing to a table with little whiteboards and dry erase markers.

Marinette wrote “piece of cake” on her board and doodled a slice of birthday cake in Alya’s honor. Adrien drew a smiley face, Nino wrote “DUDE” in big letters, and Alya wrote "Pound it!”

They all posed for a few photos, and the photographer told them the pictures would be on the escape room’s instagram page later. They thanked the team and walked outside.

“That was good up until the end,” Nino said, sounding a little disappointed. 

“I think we got through it way faster than they expected,” Alya said firmly. “They probably weren’t worried about the ending making sense if most groups don’t make it all the way through.”

“You really think it was hard enough that most teams can’t finish it?” Marinette asked as she took off her mask.

“Most teams don’t have you as a leader,” Adrien said. Marinette glanced over to see Adrien studying her. “You really are hero material.”

“All of us are hero material,”Alya announced proudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -The "core 4 in an escape room" concept has been on my mind for like a year now, but it was originally planned as a one-shot before season 3 aired  
> -The puzzles in the first room were all invented by me tonight, based on what I have seen in videos of escape rooms and online games  
> -The puzzle in the second room is based on the first escape room I got to do, which was a timed 5 minute challenge at San Francisco Comic Con a few years ago. I did manage to beat it on the first try


	47. Hesitation

Marinette was almost home. After the escape room, the four had walked back to Alya’s place so Marinette could pick up her stuff and head home. Once they were there, Adrien was picked up by the Gorilla, but he told Marinette that their study session had been approved and she could come over at noon tomorrow. Nino and Alya were staying at her place to watch a movie, so Marinette was walking home by herself.

She was almost home, but her good luck couldn’t hold out long enough to make it there. The tell-tale screaming and crashes that warned of an akuma battle were coming from a few streets away, and Marinette couldn’t help but sigh deeply. 

“At least Hawkmoth waited until after Alya’s birthday celebrations!” Tikki pointed out.

“But not long enough for me to go drop off my bag,” Marinette whined. “Tikki, spots on!”

The transformation magic washed over, leaving her holding her overnight bag. She glanced around, and decided she was close enough to just go drop the bag on her balcony before heading into battle.

She had just managed to jump from her balcony after unceremoniously dumping her bag when Cat Noir showed up.

“Having a good weekend, my Lady?” he asked casually.

“I was up until Hawkmoth decided to mess with us,” she said tensely. Had he seen her dropping off her bag?

“Mood,” he said, not looking over at her as they made their way toward the destruction. “Technically this was the best window of time for this to happen, but I’m having a particularly good weekend myself and this is not helping.”

“Anything special?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“Well our number one fan Alya had a birthday party and I managed to pop in and tell her happy birthday for the both of us,” he said proudly.

“Thank you, I’m sure that meant a lot to her.”

“It really did!”

“Are kidding me?” Ladybug shouted when they saw who was rampaging through the park. “Mr Ramier again?!”

“At least this will be over quick,” Cat Noir noted.

Sure enough, the battle was wrapped up in a few short minutes. Mr Ramier offered to get them ice cream again, but they both declined.

“I know we both have places to be, but can I mention something before you go?” Cat Noir asked once they were on a rooftop away from the park.

“Absolutely,” she said, turning to face him and give him her undivided attention.

“I know we discussed other people to bring on our hero team, and I want to bump Marinette up to the top of the list,” he said, and she tried not to let her panic show on her face. “I got reminded of how amazing she is this weekend, and I couldn’t think of anyone I know that’s more worthy of a Miraculous. Heck, if there was an emergency where I had to give my Miraculous to someone else, she is who I would pick.”

“Oh,” Ladybug said, looking down at her feet. “We, um, we didn’t really decide how we were handling new team members, huh? We should figure that out. Together. Later. Not now. But soon! And backup choices for heroes. Can’t put all our eggs in one basket, no sirree! Or all our Miraculous on one person. Not that I have a problem with Marinette! I just…”

“...do you not like her?” he asked cautiously.

“No! I mean yes! I mean… You’re right, she’s someone who could probably be good at wielding a Miraculous. We just need to make sure she’s a good fit for whichever one she uses. For example, I think Adrien could be a great hero, even though he wasn’t a good fit for the Snake Miraculous.”

“You really think a model could be a hero?” he asked, raising one eyebrow.

“I think that someone who would drop everything for his friends is already a hero,” she said quietly. If she hadn’t been looking at her feet, she wouldn’t have missed the shocked look on his face.

“How well do you know him, my Lady?” he asked softly. “I doubt you pick random people to be heroes.”

“I’ll tell you this only because I trust you, and I trust you won’t try to figure out my identity from this, but yes, I do know him. Not as well as I would like, but better than most people.”

“Do you know him better than you know Marinette?”

She paused, trying to figure out how to answer without completely revealing herself. Part of her was thinking that now wasn’t the worst time to just do a reveal, but old habits weren’t made to be broken so easily.

“I’ve certainly known her longer.”

“I’ll take that,” he laughed. “I know you’ve brought up doing an identity reveal, but I want you to be completely comfortable with it. It won’t change how much I respect you, so I’m willing to wait however long it takes.”

“What did I do to deserve you?” she asked breathlessly.

“The same thing I did to deserve a partner like you, apparently,” he said with a smile. He took a small step forward and held his arms out, and she rushed forward to lock him in a tight hug. They stayed like that for a moment, taking strength from the other, before the beeping coming from their Miraculous made them shuffle apart.

“Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Ladybug,” he said, giving her a salute before taking off.

“You too!” she shouted back. She zipped back across the city, grabbed her bag from her balcony, then dropped down into the alleyway behind the house to detransform.

As soon as Tikki was done munching on the macaron in Marinette’s purse, Marinette had said hello to her parents and made her way back up to her room.

“This reveal should probably happen soon,” Tikki said.

“I know,” Marinette responded as she unpacked her bag. “It’s just such a big step that I can’t take back. After so many failures trying to tell Adrien I liked him, I can’t help but imagine how many ways an identity reveal could go horribly wrong.”

“Maybe set a deadline for yourself,” Tikki suggested. “You always do better when there’s a deadline.”

“That’s a thought,” Marinette said. “I can’t really avoid it forever. And he’s being so nice about not pushing it.”

Her overnight bag was completely unpacked, but she needed to keep her hands busy. She sat down at her desk and looked over her homework list.

“I’ll think about it tomorrow after studying with Adrien,” she told her kwami. “I need to focus on catching up on all of this homework.”

She started writing down specific questions about math and science to ask Adrien the next day. Tikki took advantage of her distraction to giggle quietly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -My original plan for this fic did not include an identity reveal at all, but it felt like it fit. Now my goal is for it to happen later in the story but these characters are not making it easy!  
> -My posting schedule is going to have to slow down a little bit as my personal life has suddenly kicked into a higher gear. Yesterday my production company released a 4 hour Youtube charity special with celebrity appearances and such and it was CHAOS. Good chaos, but chaos none the less. I also have some family stuff coming up so I will do my best to update regularly but there may be a daily update missing here and there


	48. Study

“Tikki?”

“Yes, Marinette?” came a sleepy answer.

“Adrien never told me what time we were meeting at his place to study.”

“Well, I highly doubt it would be any time soon considering it is currently 5 in the morning, so how about you just go back to sleep?”

“Yeah, you’re right… I’m gonna turn my sound on for my phone just in case he texts me.”

“You do that.”

\-------------

_ AA: Good morning! I just realized I never told you what time for today _

_ AA: Sorry _

_ AA: Anyway, Nathalie said you can come over at noon. Does that work for you? _

**MDC: Noon is great!**

Marinette did her best not to jump out of bed when she received the texts from Adrien just two hours after waking up in a panic. Going over to the Agreste mansion at noon meant she would leave the house at 11:30, which meant eating breakfast by 11, which meant getting dressed at 10:45, which meant she could still sleep a few more hours without any problems.

The superhero truly thought that the best part of mornings where she could sleep in was waking up and deciding to not get out of bed. The satisfaction of rolling back over and refusing to move was better than the sleep itself. 

_ AC: I still don’t know who won the Ladybug painting _

_ AC: This is ridiculous _

Marinette rolled her eyes at her best friend’s texts. There was nothing like a mystery to capture Alya’s full attention, even during her birthday weekend. The fact that this mystery involved Ladybug was just the box on top for her.

**MDC: You do realize there is no obligation for the winner to come forward, right? Maybe they wanted their donations to remain anonymous**

_ AC: Ok one why are you awake on a sunday morning _

_ AC: and two if they don’t fess up I’m going to assume it was Cat Noir _

**MDC: Pretty sure Ladybug would be pissed at him for spending that much money when she could make him a gift at literally any time**

_ AC: i guess _

Marinette waited to see if Alya was going to drop the subject. In the meantime, she scrolled through the photos that had been taken in the park the day before. She was pleased to note that there were a few different photos of herself that she was actually pretty happy with. She picked two, one serious and one where she was laughing, and uploaded them to her Instagram account.

As usual, she didn’t use any hashtags and kept the description brief, making sure to mention that she made the outfit herself and that Alya had taken the photos. She scrolled through her friends posts, and was shocked to see that Adrien had liked her photo almost immediately.

For a moment she remembered that he said that Nathalie had set up the account. Perhaps it was Nathalie liking the photo because it was fashion related? 

_ AA: Those photos came out so good! I bet you have quite a few you can post! _

...or maybe she was getting carried away with over analyzing things again.

**MDC: Glad you liked them! Yeah, Alya is great at taking photos. Lots of practice chasing superheroes, you know?**

_ AA: I would love to get more practice behind the camera, actually _

Marinette couldn’t help but stare at the text from Adrien. What did that mean? Was it a request? A hint? A random statement?

Deciding she could have this conversation with him later in person here she wouldn’t have to guess about tone as much, she climbed out of bed, tucking her phone in one pocket of her pajamas and her sleeping kwami in the other.

Sabine was in the kitchen, and raised an eyebrow as her daughter came down the stairs. “What has you out of bed so early?” she asked with a gentle laugh.

“Just woke up early, that’s all. Answered a few texts and now my brain is awake.” Marinette gave her mother a quick side hug before putting the kettle on the stove. “Alya is frustrated that it’s been over 24 hours and no one has announced they were the one to buy the Ladybug painting in the auction.”

“Oh, I’m sure that has her all worked up.”

Marinette looked at the various types of tea in the cabinet before pulling down the box of peach oolong. “I’m going over to Adrien’s to study later,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Really?” her mother asked, sounding impressed. “You almost sound calm!”

“Maman!” she giggled. “I can go study with him and be a good friend without it meaning anything more.”

“I know, I know. I also know that you would have passed out with excitement at this idea six months ago.”

“You’re right,” Marinette said, carefully pouring the hot water into her cup. “A lot has changed since school started.”

“I need to go back down to the bakery. Pop in before you leave and we’ll send some of Adrien’s favorite treats along as study fuel, ok?”

“Of course.”

\----------

True to her word, Marinette made sure to pick up a box from her mother before walking to Adrien’s house. Before having to take down Adrien’s dietitian she would have been worried that the baked goods would have been banned from the premises, but now she felt confident in bringing food to share.

Marinette took a deep breath before pressing the buzzer by the gate. Unlike previous visits, as soon as she saw the camera pop out the gates were opening. She waved awkwardly before walking up to the main door. Before she could panic about whether or not she should knock, the door swung open.

“Hi!” Adrien greeted her enthusiastically, wrapping her in a hug.

“Hey!” Marinette said. “I brought snacks!” she said as she held up the box.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he said as he closed the door behind her.

“Yes I did, my parents didn’t give me a choice,” she said with a laugh.

“Hello, Marinette.”

The girl in question turned to find Nathalie looking at her with… well, it wasn’t a stern expression but it wasn’t particularly kind either.

“Adrien has five hours set aside for studying with you before his next Chinese lesson.”

“That’s good to know, thank you,” Marinette said awkwardly.

“We’d better get to work then,” Adrien said to Nathalie before grabbing Marinette’s hand. “Here, my room is this way.”

They stayed quiet until they made it to his room and he shut the door behind him. “Sorry about that. She really does care.”

“Well that’s good.”

“Let’s put the box on the table and we can sit on the couch,” Adrien said, taking the box and leading Marinette across the room.

“This room seems so much bigger with only us in it.”

“What? Oh, right, the only time you were in here was that crazy party!”

“Yep, that was it, the one and only time,” Marinette babbled before she could stop herself.

“To be honest, I wish it was more like your room,” he said, sitting down and pulling his tablet out of his school bag.

“Really? There’s so much cool stuff in here though!”

“It’s not much fun when you spend hours here alone.”

“Well, you’re stuck with me for the next five hours,” she joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Pretty sure it’s that you’re stuck with me,” he joked back.

“Mostly I’m just stuck on this math problem.”

\------------

The hours flew by as the pair worked through math, science, and history worksheets. Even when they were both quietly reading, it never felt uncomfortably quiet. Marinette did her best not to fidget too much, and the snacks helped with that. Adrien’s alarm on his phone made them look at each other in shock.

“That was five hours?” he asked as he wicked up his phone to turn off the alarm.

“I guess so,” she answered as she stuffed her things back in her bag.

“I was serious about my text this morning, by the way,” he said shyly. “About wanting to do more photography practice, I mean.”

“That’s awesome! I’m sure you’d be good at it.”

“Thanks. I like the idea of using a camera to show others what I see.” They both got up from the couch, and Adrien led the way out of his room.

“Spoken like a true artist.”

“Anyway, I was wondering if maybe you could be my model?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “You seemed to be enjoying it in the park with Alya yesterday. Don’t feel pressured to say yes or anything, but-”

“Yes! Absolutely. I would love to help you,” she said in a rush, interrupting him.

“Great!”

“Adrien.” Marinette froze when she heard the cold, harsh tone of Gabriel Agreste ring out across the entryway.

“Father, this is my friend Marinette! You’ve met her before, she designed the derby hat that you let me wear and-”

“Yes, I know who she is.” Gabriel took a few steps toward the teenagers. “I have something to show you, and I suppose Miss Dupain-Cheng can see it too. I do ask that what I am about to show you remains between us.”

“Of course,” Marinette replied automatically.

Adrien and Marinette followed his father into his office. He gestured to the wall to the right of his desk, where a new painting had just been added to the wall.

“Is that the Ladybug painting?” Adrien asked quietly, staring at the art.

“It is.” Gabriel watched the pair’s reactions closely. 

“Our friend Alya has been dying to know who won it,” Adrien explained.

“I’m sure a lot of people would like to know where it is. I believe it is safer if the general public is not aware that it is here. For safety reasons, of course.”

“It’s very different from everything else in here,” Marinette said, desperately trying not to stare.

“That’s exactly why I bought it. I’m hoping it will serve as a source of inspiration for me.”

“I love the color,” Adrien said, walking over to see it better. “It really feels like water in motion.”

“I agree.” Gabriel cleared his throat before continuing. “Adrien, it is time for you next lesson. Marinette, until next time.”

“Of course, Father. Thank you for letting us see the painting.”

“Yes, thank you,” Marinette managed to squeak out before leaving the room.

“Alya is going to freak out,” Adrien said in a whisper. 

“Don’t tell her I saw it. I don’t know if she’d forgive me,” Marinette whispered back.

“Anything for you.” He gave her another hug before opening the door for her.

“I’ll see you at school tomorrow!” she called over her shoulder as she went down the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Shoutout to Grimperial for correctly guessing that Gabriel would be the winner of the auction!  
> -Sorry for the delay, real life has gotten crazy. On top of all the 2020 garbage, my personal life is a hot mess. Who likes moving during their birthday month? Not me XD


	49. Lesson Five

“What am I going to do, Tikki?”

The kwami watched as her Chosen paced circle around her room. “What do you mean, Marinette?”

“Ok, so I know we took Gabriel off the Hawkmoth suspect list when he got akumatized… but I don’t understand why he would buy the painting otherwise. The whole ‘inspiration’ angle felt too rehearsed. And keeping it a secret? Does he not want Ladybug to know he bought because that’s suspicious? And if it’s meant to be secret, why show me? Showing Adrien makes sense on some level, but showing Marinette?”

“That is a lot to consider for sure,” Tikki said cautiously. “However, if you keep thinking about it you’re going to be late for class.”

“Ugh, you’re right.” Marinette got dressed quickly. “What would I do without you?”

“You’d be just fine, because you’re amazing!”

Marinette giggled at her tiny cheerleader. “I appreciate all of your help, in the suit and out.”

\----------------

It was Monday, and Marinette had almost forgotten that meant there would be a new lesson. She was excited to continue the project, but she knew it was going smoother for some of her classmates than others.

“What do you think is going to be covered today?” Alya asked her as she sat down and snagged a croissant from the open box in front of Marinette.

“All I can think of that is left is orientation,” Nino said as he swallowed the last bite of his croissant.

“I’ve known so little about all of these topics I don’t even want to guess,” Adrien said as he paused between bites. Usually he devoured baked goods at top speed, but today he seemed distracted.

“I just hope whatever it is, it doesn’t make things too uncomfortable for anybody,” Marinette said softly.

“Good morning class!” Ms Bustier greeted everyone with her usual brand of chipper energy. “Im sure you all are quite curious about our next lesson. Any guesses?”

The class leaned forward. Marinette noticed that more of her classmates were ready to take notes than they had been for the first few lessons. It seemed they were all taking the project seriously.

“Sexual orientation?” Nino asked. “We covered gender last week, so this seems like the next logical step.”

“Not quite, we have one more topic to discuss before we get to that one.” Ms Bustier looked at each student for a moment, trying to get a read on the room. “Lesson five is about romantic attraction and orientation.”

“Isn’t that the same thing though?” Ivan asked.

“A lot of people do not separate them, but they can exist on separate spectrums.”

“And someone can experience no romantic attraction at all!” Alix said loudly. “It’s called aromantic and it’s completely valid and if you think it’s not I will fight you.”

“You are correct that some people are aromantic, and that it is valid, but you don’t need to fight anyone over it,” Ms Bustier said gently.

“But really. Fight me and my aromantic flag,” Alix mumbled as she looked around the room.

“Because of coverage in the media, most of you are aware of different sexual orientations, which is why we want you to consider romantic orientation first. Who you want to date and who you want to be intimate with as an adult may be the same or different. Think of it as a Venn diagram. Some people have circles that overlap a lot and some don’t.”

“Is it the same prefixes as sexual orientation?” Max asked as he filed his page with notes.

“Indeed, the terms are phrased as heteroromantic, biromantic, and so on.”

\--------------

Marinette went home for lunch again. Alya had spent the last hour complaining to her that the winner of the ladybug painting auction was still a mystery and poor Marinette thought she was going to burst. Adrien had shifted uncomfortably and made eye contact with her. It almost felt like they had a full conversation silently, but that was probably just her stressed brain imagining things.

“I want to tell Chat Noir, but I can’t think of a way to say it without just telling him who I am. And I know you’re going to say that we were already discussing doing reveals soon but this feels like the wrong time and place, you know?”

Tikki just ate her cookie in silence as Marinette worked out her reasonings out loud.

“I feel like I’m missing pieces of the puzzle here and it makes me frustrated which makes it harder to think and this sucks.”

There was a notification on her tablet screen, and Marinette unlocked the device as she stuffed another bite of noodles in her mouth. Surprisingly, it was an email from her project partner already. She cocked her head to the side, curious about the timing. Usually they waited until the school day was over to start their weekly discussion, not lunchtime.

_ Today’s lesson seemed simple but I just used it to look at the girls in my life that I like and um I like them romantically but not more than that?? I want to snuggle my crush and kiss her and give her flowers but that’s it?? And apparently that’s not what sexual attraction is like?? I looked it up online because I thought I had like zoned out and missed something while taking notes in class because I had a weird day yesterday and wasn’t 100% paying attention and it turns out wanting to go on a date with someone and wanting to have sex with them is two different things and I only want the fluffy stuff and anything more is overwhelming and I don’t want to go back to class today and I am so confused?? _

Marinette read through the email several times. Her first reaction was to laugh and picture Cat Noir when he started rambling about something without giving her enough context to follow along. The more time she read through it, the more confused she got. When she thought of her crush on Adrien, particularly when she was at her most intense point a few months ago, she had never wanted anything more than kisses and cuddles. Usually, she would have brushed this off and chalked it up to still being pretty young, but then she thought about what Alya and the other girls had said. Was she supposed to look at people and want to… do things with them?

**Hey partner. I haven't had a chance to really think through the lesson yet, but I wanted to let you know I saw your email. Um, nothing you said seemed that weird to me. I would also be happy with just a kiss from a crush. We’ll discuss this more later, but please don’t spend the next few hours thinking there is something wrong with yourself, ok?**

\-------------

Adrien was staring at his desk, and Marinette couldn’t help but notice as she entered the room. He had been so happy the day before when they were studying, so the change in mood was clear.

“Hey, thanks again for the study help yesterday,” she said quietly as she sat down behind him.

He shook his head before turning around to look at her. “Thank you for coming over. Really, that meant a lot to me. I can count on one hand the number of friends that I have been able to get permission to have over and you can come back any time we can get it on my schedule.”

“Would you really want to study together again?” she asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

“Absolutely,” came the immediate response.

“You can study at my place too. I know my room isn’t as big as yours but there are some pretty good snacks available.” To her surprise, she managed a wink at the end of that line.

“Oh, I know where to go to find sweet things,” he said with a wink of his own.

Marinette couldn’t seem to find a way to calm her heartbeat down for the next twenty minutes of class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I have crawled out from a pile of boxes to give you an update!! All of your comments on the last chapter were FANTASTIC and I love how strongly everyone reacted to it! I made myself a cup of black tea at 1:30am to write this chapter, then got distracted and used a tooth whitener that meant I had to wait 30 minutes before I could drink the tea... and that's on ADHD! 
> 
> -Will Ladybug tell Cat? What is Hawkmoth planning? (how did this fic that was supposed to just be about examining my orientation through a fictional lens get some actual plot??)  
> -I am DESPERATE for more people to understand the difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction, ESPECIALLY in media!  
> -Astruc has said on Twitter that Alix is aromantic so that worked out nicely for me  
> -This email exchange just made me flashback to high school me HARD  
> -Adrien's motto is "when in doubt, flirt" apparently XD
> 
> (Also PS: I have a linktree if you want to see other projects from me, not all are Miraculous but it keeps me busy! linktr.ee/itskatienail )


	50. Type

There was an akuma attack just minutes after school let out, and Marinette spent most of the fight so distracted that Cat Noir asked if she was ok. She brushed it off, giving him some excuse about school being hectic. He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push the issue further. Luckily the fight wrapped up pretty quickly and Marinette was grabbing a homework snack only an hour after leaving school.

She gave Tikki a cookie before grabbing a handful of pita chips and scooping some hummus into a bowl. Fully armed, she headed up to her room to talk to her project partner about their lesson for the day. She opened the email he had sent during lunch to refresh herself on what he had said.

**Ok, I have some questions for you now that I have had some time to think things over. You used the plural form of “girls” in your email. How many girls do you have a crush on? No judgement, just curious. If they have anything in common, it might help you understand your attraction a bit more. I know I find myself confused sometimes when it comes to boys I know. There’s my “person” who you remember from a few weeks ago. I thought a relationship was a great idea at the beginning until it wasn’t. I have the guy I have been crushing on since the beginning of the year who is just an absolute sweetheart, but I have been trying to ease up on the focus on him since it really isn’t fair to him to set my heart on him so strongly. Then there’s a guy that I tend to work with a lot that really balances me out well but at one point he seemed to be head over heels for me and to be honest, it was kind of intimidating.**

**In terms of attraction, I agree with you. I really thought planning a future life with someone and wanting physical stuff like kissing and cuddling was what being attracted to someone meant. Then, I thought it was just that I was too young to look at someone and want to be… sexually involved. Apparently that’s not the case, if my friends’ reactions and movies are to be believed. I don’t want to disappoint anyone when I don’t feel attracted to them the way they want me to be, you know?**

Marinette sat back after hitting the send button. She reflected on her feelings toward Luka, Adrien, and Cat Noir. 

The relationship with Luka had seemed to have a lot of potential at the beginning, but it had felt like starting a video game on the third level. Where was the tutorial phase? Where was the explanation, the set up, and the speed settings?

Her crush on Adrien had been all-consuming, and she had spent countless hours daydreaming about domestic life with the model. Was that fair to him to imagine a life like that when she didn’t know what he wanted to do as an adult? She sighed as she realized she didn’t even know if he wanted to keep modeling after graduation.

And then there was Cat Noir. The person who knew her the best, and still wanted to see more of her. The boy who stayed by her side in the face of death and wanted nothing more than to see her smile. That same boy who was known to drop in on her as Marinette with no hint that her civilian self wasn’t special too.

_ Um, so there’s two girls. There was a third, but we tried the dating thing and it didn’t work out either, just like with your person. The two girls that still occupy my thoughts are… actually pretty similar when you ask me to compare them. _

_Really, really similar, actually. Both stand up for people and take care of everyone around them, even when they really should be taking care of themselves. Both are clever and funny and pretty_ _and creative and strong and wonderful and…_

_ OMG _

_ I have a TYPE _

_ It’s petite girls who can kick my ass _

Marinette tried not to hyperventilate as she read the response. “Tikki,” she asked uncertainly, “is it just me, or did my email partner just describe…”

Tikki flew over and read the email quickly. “That sounds like you all right. You and Ladybug.”

“Didn’t… hasn’t Nino teased Adrien for having a crush on Ladybug?”

“...yes.”

“And Adrien called me ‘everyday Ladybug’ on Heroes Day…”

“Yes, he did.”

Marinette shook her head vigorously. “No. I will NOT follow that thought through. My partner for this project is anonymous for a REASON. His identity does not change the fact that I am here to support him and receive support in return. Whoever he is, he deserves my attention and focus, not assumptions based on circumstantial evidence.”

Tikki watched as Marinette talked herself through her feelings. She was immensely proud of her Chosen for acknowledging that her own feelings for Adrien should not interfere with the project, and deciding to support him fully.

**If that’s your type, I’d say you have pretty good taste! It could be worse, you could be attracted to snobby rich blondes, lol.**

_ I can’t tell you how much that is NOT my type! Anyway… yeah, if I think about either one of these girls I just want cute moments. Ice cream dates sound perfect, stargazing is the BEST, picnics in the shade of a big tree, moments like that. It’s easier to picture with one of the girls but I would be thrilled with either. Does that make me indecisive? And if either girl kissed me I think my heart would explode with joy. Not really interested in much past that. Are there really people in our class that do want to go… further? _

**They want to or they are just making big boasts and ridiculous jokes. Could go either way, really. I can’t be more grateful that I got you as my partner on this. My best friend in class is kind of the opposite of me on this and the tamest of jokes still has me internally screaming YIKES**

_ Ok. So in terms of romantic attraction, I would say I am a guy who is romantically interested in girls. Not that there is anything wrong with guys, but like… I want to spend my life spoiling a cute girl. _

**I’m a girl who wants to spend my life with a guy, so that balances out nicely. Girls are pretty but I just don’t feel the magnetic pull there**

_ Separate question: do you think you need to get to know someone first to like them or is love at first sight a valid experience? _

**Anything you feel is valid, silly. I think getting to know them is important, but you don’t have to get super detailed to feel it. A few conversations or gestures that show their character is enough for me. Love at first sight tends to make me think it’s more about the physical appearance rather than the person’s personality.**

_ That’s fair. You hear them say something or do something that captures your attention and proves who they are _

**Exactly!!**

_ I have to go, but thank you for this. I feel much better than I did at lunch _

Marinette kicked her feet to push her rolling chair back from the desk. Aside from any speculation about her partner’s identity, the conversation was illuminating for her own thought process. 

That was probably why she hadn’t thought much of Cat Noir’s early advances. He had seemed flirty from the moment they met, when he had no idea what kind of a person she was under the mask. Later it was clear that he liked her for her, but the initial reaction of annoyance at being potentially viewed as something she wasn’t was hard to shake.

She chuckled as she remembered how she had distinctly not liked Adrien when she thought he was just a clone of Chloe. She had had no problems stepping up and putting him in his place. It wasn’t until he showed the strength of character to apologize and give her his umbrella that she tumbled head over heels for the boy.

Marinette could imagine a happy life with Adrien, and though she wouldn’t admit it out loud she could picture it with Cat Noir. But if she never wanted to get more physical, would either boy want her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm 29 now! Yay!
> 
> -When Marinette pictures her perfect life with Adrien I couldn't help but think about the song "Somewhere That's Green" from Little Shop of Horrors. Audrey is singing about her perfect life with Seymour, and all she can picture him doing is yard work because the only thing she knows about him is that he likes plants  
> -Adrien has identified his #Type  
> -Marinette is struggling with the concept of reveals at ALL and maybe she needs to learn to let go of control (or I need to stop projecting lol)  
> -Tikki is internally screaming so loud smoke is about to come out of her ears  
> -Random note/spoiler on the Gabriel art purchase motivation debate: one of the inspirations is Grand Admiral Thrawn ;-)


	51. Feelings

Tuesday was off to a rough start. When Marinette’s phone started screeching at 5am with an akuma alarm, she nearly rolled over and ignored it. Why did Hawkmoth seem to delight in ruining her schedule? 

Ladybug arrived on the scene to find an oddly hyper Cat Noir.

“Good morning!” he shouted as she landed on the roof beside him.

“Of course you’re a morning person,” she muttered.

“Is it morning?” he asked, pulling out his baton to check the time. “Oh no...”

“How did you not know it was morning?” she asked, not nearly awake enough to follow along.

“I, um, I might have stayed up all night.”

“Doing what?”

“Thinking.”

Ladybug rolled her eyes as she looked over at her partner. “I know thinking is hard for you, kitty, but you gotta know when to take a break.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” he responded with his own eye roll. “Are you up for a patrol later? I would love to talk some things out.”

“Civilian things?” she asked hesitantly.

“Sort of? It’s a feelings thing, not about you, but also yes about you? But also about feelings and people in general?”

Ladybug paused for a moment, instantly thinking of her email partner’s messages from the night before. She had been trying not to imagine it was Adrien writing those things, but what if it was Cat Noir? What were the odds they would be in the same project, in the same school, and assigned to each other as partners? Could it-

“Look out!” Cat Noir shouted as he collided with her, knocking her out of the path of a ball of slime the akuma had shot at them. “I know you’re not great with early morning akumas, so let’s just get this wrapped up fast!”

“Right!”

\-----------------

The luck of the ladybug was on their side that morning, as the battle wrapped up fairly quickly and Marinette had her usual amount of time to get ready for school.

“Tikki?” she asked as she brushed her hair.

“Yes?” the kwami answered after swallowing a bite of cookie.

“What Cat Noir said this morning sounded really familiar.”

“Did it?”

“Yes.” Marinette decided at the last moment to pull her hair up in a high ponytail instead of her usual style. “I had been thinking my email partner was Adrien, but I can’t shake the feeling that Cat Noir is the one struggling with identifying how he feels.”

“What made you think it was Adrien before?”

“Now that you ask me out loud I can’t think of the examples. It’s more of a gut feeling, you know?”

“And Cat Noir?”

There was a long pause as Marinette stared at her face in the mirror. “He sounded so confused this morning.”

“What are you going to do about it?”

“I’ll meet him for patrol tonight and listen. No matter who it is I’ve been emailing, Cat Noir deserves a friend who can be there for him while he works through… well, whatever it is that he’s working through.”

“That sounds like a great plan! Ready for school?”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

Marinette gathered her school bag and supplies and made the brief walk to the school. Adrien was already there, listening to Alya who was in full conspiracy theory mode.

“I just don’t understand!” she was shouting.

“What don’t we understand?” Nino asked as he walked in right behind Marinette.

“It’s been several days. No one has posted about the Ladybug painting! It can’t have vanished into thin air!”

“Wouldn’t bragging about owning the painting make the winner a target for a robber or something?” Nino asked.

“It just makes it seem like someone has something to hide,” Alya pouted. “OH!” she shouted, jumping to her feet.

“What?” Marinette, Adrien, and Nino all asked in unison.

“What if Hawkmoth bought it?” she said breathlessly.

Marinette looked over at Adrien without realizing she was doing it. He was looking back at her just as intently. Should they tell Alya?

“That could be really bad,” Alya said, pacing back and forth in front of the teacher’s desk. “What if he did a DNA swab or lifted fingerprints or something?”

“That would only work if Ladybug was a criminal and her DNA and fingerprints were in the police system,” Sabrina said, before looking nervously at Chloe.

“I highly doubt Ladybug is a criminal with a record,” Chloe sniffed.

“Also that would be really expensive,” Kim added.

“If he bought the painting, I don’t think ‘expensive’ would be a problem,” Alix said with an eye roll.

“It’s not like the winner was a Hollywood director who wanted it for their Malibu beach house,” Lila said smugly.

Alya raced over to where Lila was sitting. “A director flew it back to America?”

“I certainly wouldn’t be allowed to break my nondisclosure agreement,” Lila said at a volume that sounded quiet but still carried across the room.

Marinette wanted nothing more than to correct Lila, but she looked at Adrien again and saw him shaking his head. Sighing, she whispered to the blonde, “I know it’s not my secret to share.”

“Thank you,” he whispered back.

\-----------

Marinette made sure to grab a few croissants before heading out to meet Cat Noir. If his words were any indication, this wasn’t going to be a short conversation. Besides, after the Dietician akuma she was determined to feed her kitty.

Ladybug landed gracefully on the highest platform of the Eiffel Tower. They had a few other meeting spots scattered around the city, but the view from the tower just couldn’t be beat.

She only had to wait a minute or two before a clattering sound announced her partner’s presence. 

“Thanks for coming out tonight,” Cat Noir said shyly, taking a seat beside her and crossing his long legs.

“Of course I came,” she said, handing him a pastry. “You clearly have a lot on your mind.”

“I’m not really sure where to start. There’s not really a good beginning point on this, and I just keep running my mind around in circles.”

“I know the feeling,” she said sincerely. “What if I tell you what’s going on with me and see if that gives you a place to jump off from?”

“You’re trying to understand feelings too?” he said, sounding shocked. 

“Pfff, have you met me? When am I not overthinking everything?”

“When you’re jumping in a T rex’s mouth…” he said before taking a bite.

Ladybug cringed. “Ok, so if I’m not overthinking things I’m jumping into danger. Not sure which one is worse.”

“Isn’t it obvious? The T rex is worse!” Cat Noir shouted and sprayed crumbs everywhere.

“Ewww! Cat Noir, can you please keep your food to yourself if you’re going to talk with your mouth full?”

“Sorry.”

“Anyway…" Ladybug took a deep breath. "Ok. A starting point on how I’ve been feeling recently. Right. My class has been covering some, well, personal topics, and it’s kind of breaking down a lot of assumptions I had about other people’s viewpoints compared to mine.”

“Oh? Like what?”

“I thought I knew that other people see the world from a different viewpoint, but it is becoming clear just how drastically different that viewpoint can be. I expected the differences to be pretty minor, but on some of these topics it feels like I’m speaking a different language or something.”

“I can relate to that,” he said quietly.

“I want to understand it better and learn more, but at the same time I don’t want to know. They keep saying that it’s all well and good to be different, but how am I supposed to understand something someone feels if I don’t have anything to compare it to? This isn’t like saying you like chocolate or vanilla ice cream, this is like comparing ice cream and spicy noodles!”

“Ice cream and spicy noodles?” he asked with a chuckle.

“Yes! Except what if someone doesn’t like spicy noodles? Or what if someone has never had spicy noodles so they don’t know if they like it or not? How do you know you want something you haven’t tried?”

“...do you want to go get spicy noodles?”

“No, Cat! How am I supposed to know if I’m attracted to someone if I haven’t felt attraction before!” Ladybug gasped as she finished her statement a bit louder than intended. She hadn’t planned to say that much. Truly, her plans for the evening had been to listen to her superhero partner, not to word vomit her own confused feelings.

“Would you believe me if I said that’s exactly what I’m struggling with right now?”

She looked over at her partner, preparing to volley back a sarcastic retort, when she looked at his face. The look he gave her was soft and vulnerable, and there was a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“I guess we’re a pretty evenly matched team then,” she said quietly.

“I know you aren’t ready for personal details, but my school is covering similar topics I guess. I’ve always been kind of sheltered, so I was assuming that I was struggling with all of this because I didn’t have all of the background knowledge. But if you feel the same way, maybe I’m not missing something like I thought I was.”

“Tell you what,” she said, leaning back. “We can be confused together. Maybe someday we’ll figure out, and maybe we won’t.”

“What if how I feel about you is part of the confusion?” came the quiet response.

“Our relationship is pretty unique,” she responded gently. “Two people who had never met before suddenly given a massive responsibility and left to figure it out alone. Immense pressure to work well together with no choice in the matter. But honestly, I don’t think I could have picked a better partner for myself if I had tried.”

“Really?”

“Really. You balance me out and understand me better than most of my friends, even without knowing much about me behind the mask. When I need help, I think of you.”

“That means the world to me, my Lady. I think of you too.” 

Ladybug shifted so she could wrap her partner in a hug. “There’s no rush to understand your feelings, for me or for anyone else. If feelings were easy, there wouldn’t be a lot of songs or movies or paintings or books or poems or-”

He laughed. “I guess you’re right.”

“Feeling better?” she asked, shifting back out of the hug.

“I am, thank you.”

“Race you to Sacre Coeur?”

“You’re on!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry for the delay. My partner and I are staying with my mom for a few months as this move is not as smooth as I could have hoped, but I'm rolling with the punches. This is my 15th move in 29 years, so they can't all be perfect lol
> 
> -I'm trying SO HARD to hold off on the reveal but hot damn they are determined to figure it out  
> -I am LOVING all of the theories in the comments about why Gabriel bought the painting. The next hint is that he has a 2 level strategy happening *insert evil laugh*  
> -Literally the day after I posted the last chapter, my friends surprised me by taking me to an escape room for my birthday. It was pirate themed and we beat it with 10 minutes to spare!!


	52. Juice

Marinette walked into school Wednesday morning feeling slightly better. Her conversations with both her email partner and with Cat Noir had left her feeling less alone, even if she didn’t still understand the rest of her feelings.

“Hey girl, can you do me a favor and come help me with my sisters after school?” Alya asked as Marinette took her seat.

“I’m sorry, Alya, I have plans with Kagami already,” Marinette said with a sheepish shrug.

“Why?” Alya asked point blank.

“...because we’re friends?”

“You’re not  _ actually _ friends, are you?”

“Why wouldn’t I be friends with her?” Marinette asked, getting annoyed. “She’s smart and we have some common interests, so we have some really interesting conversations.”

“You have common interests that aren’t blonde and for some reason late to class today?” Alya scoffed.

“Yes, we do.” Marinette was starting to truly get angry. “I enjoy fencing, even if I’m not at her level. We discuss creative projects we’re working on. I’m pretty sure she asked me to hang out today to give me an update on the writing project she has been telling me about for weeks.”

“Ok, ok, fine, you guys really are friends,” Alya said with a wave of her hand. “You don’t have to get so defensive about it.”

“Defensive about what?” Adrien asked as he walked in the room and headed to his usual seat.

“Kagami and I are friends and Alya doesn’t seem to believe me,” Marinette pouted.

“Oh they are so great together! You should have seen them discussing literature and art at the Louvre! They were both in their element and-”

“Ok, sunshine, I believe you!” Alya joked as she raised her hands in surrender.

“Thanks,” Marinette whispered to Adrien after Ms Bustier started class.

“Anytime,” he whispered back.

\----------------

After the morning’s awkward face-off, Marinette decided to go home and eat lunch instead of staying at school. She walked out the door with Adrien, and they had their now usual hug before he climbed in the car that was waiting for him. 

“Oh, hi,” Sabine greeted her as she walked into the kitchen. “I wasn’t expecting to see you for lunch.”

“Hi, maman,” Marinette said as she gave her mother a quick hug. “I just needed a little break from everything.”

“I understand that feeling,” Sabine chuckled. “That’s why I’m up here and not at the counter downstairs.”

“I had, well, not an argument this morning with Alya but it did get weirdly tense this morning.”

“Oh?”

Marinette assembled her sandwich as she talked. “She asked me for help this afternoon but I told her I had already made plans with Kagami. I’m pretty sure Kagami wants to talk more about the writing project she’s working on. Anyway, Alya was being super judgmental about Kagami and acting like there was no way I was really friends with her. It bothered me more than I want to admit. I hadn’t realized that Alya had such a negative view of her.”

“How often have they been around each other?”

“A few times at Kitty Section rehearsals? Not really quality time together but like, they have met.”

“Does Alya’s opinion of Kagami change your opinion of her?”

“It changes my opinion of Alya herself more than my thoughts on Kagami.”

Sabine nodded. “You’ve had disagreements with her about Lila too, right?”

“Yeah, she thinks Lila is amazing which is a mess, but I haven’t figured out how to get through to her.”

“You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.”

Marinette suppressed a giggle as she remembered the time Kaalki had tried to take a bath in her water cup. There really was no way to explain to her mother what was funny when their discussion was overall pretty serious. 

“Thanks, maman,” she said, grabbing her plate. “I’ll be upstairs.”

“You’re welcome, ma cherie,” Sabine called as Marinette made her way up to her room.

As soon as the door was closed, Tikki flew out to grab the cookie Marinette had left on the edge of the plate for her. 

“Was it wrong of me to get upset with Alya?” Marinette asked her kwami.

“No, I think you were right to stand up for your friendship with Kagami,” Tikki answered. “And it was very nice of Adrien to stand up for you.”

“I did appreciate the backup,” Marinette mused before taking a bite of her sandwich. She picked up her phone to scroll through Instagram as she ate her lunch, so she saw the text from Kagami as soon as it arrived.

_ KT: Are you still available to meet for juice as soon as school is complete today? _

**MDC: I am, and I’m looking forward to it!**

_ KT: Excellent _

Marinette took a moment before taking her empty dishes downstairs to think about her friendship with Alya. There were definitely situations where Alya was a perfect fit, but it was becoming clear that there were times that she wasn’t the person Marinette needed by her side. More often, she found herself wishing Adrien was with her, or Cat Noir, or even her email partner. 

There were so many books and movies that made it seem like it was impossible for guys and girls to be friends, but Marinette considered those three boys to be the closest friends she had at this point, all in slightly different ways. Adrien was sensitive, Cat Noir had her back, and her email partner was attuned to her wavelength. While there were times that it kind of felt like juggling, she was happy to know she had several people to talk to when she needed to sort out her feelings. As Alya had continued to be close with Lila, Marinette had felt less safe about confiding in her best female friend. If it wasn’t for the boys, she would certainly feel more alone.

Even so, she was definitely looking forward to her time with Kagami after school. There was a directness with Kagami that cut through the small talk and dug right into the deeper topics.

\-------------

“Greetings,” Kagami said from her seat at the cafe.

“Hi, Kagami!” Marinette greeted her with a quick kiss on the cheek before sitting down. 

“How is your unusual school project going?” Kagami asked.

Marinette was not the least bit surprised that her friend had jumped straight into the heavy stuff.

“It’s going pretty well for me, not sure if everyone in class feels the same way.”

“Luka has stayed pretty focused on Juleka for the last few weeks, so I would agree.”

“I’ve gotten pretty lucky to have a project partner who is in a similar place on most of the topics. I would think they were just copying me to make it easy, but they have said things first that describe my own feelings pretty accurately.”

“A good partner can absolutely determine the success of a project,” Kagami said with a nod before taking a sip of her juice. 

“Good partners can be hard to find, but worth the search,” Marinette said, taking a sip of her own drink.

“Precisely. I seem to have chosen well for my current project.”

“The writing project? Awesome!” Marinette gushed. “What kind of stuff are you working on?”

“We seem to have found a good balance,” Kagami explained. “We each create an original piece as a prompt for the other, and respond to the previous prompt. This way we both get practice on both sides.”

“So you write a unique piece for them to draw, and then you write a piece based on their art?”

“Correct.” Kagami leaned over to pull a notebook from her bag. “This is the latest few pieces.”

The rest of the afternoon was taken up by Marinette’s feedback. She knew Kagami wanted constructive comments and not just praise, so Marinette did her best to find places where Kagami could improve. If she was being honest, there wasn’t much Marinette thought Kagami could do better, but the expectation for harsh critique was already present.

As the girls were finishing their drinks and Kagami was putting the notebooks back in her bag, Alya walked by with her twin sisters in tow.

“Hello, Alya,” Kagami greeted her as formally as she always did.

“Oh, hey Kagami,” Alya said back, glancing at both Kagami and Marinette. “Hi Marinette.”

“Hey,” Marinette said with an awkward little wave to Alya before turning. “It was good to talk to you, Kagami! Let me know when you want to do this again.”

“I should have some more pieces for you to review in a few weeks. I really appreciate your feedback,” Kagami said before giving Marinette a quick hug and leaving.

“You were serious,” Alya said quietly, looking a little stunned.

“Of course I was serious,” Marinette said as she picked up her purse and walked away from the outdoor cafe table. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I thought you just didn’t want to help me with these little nightmares,” Alya said as they both watched the twins run up and down the sidewalk. 

Marinette nearly responded with “I wouldn’t lie to you” before remembering the sheer number of times she had needed to lie to Alya to cover her identity and thought better of it. 

“I have to get them home, but I’ll see you tomorrow in class,” Alya said before grabbing both twins when they were close enough to reach.

“Yeah, see you,” Marinette said before turning to walk home.

\-------------

A soft thump was Marinette’s only warning that she wasn’t alone on her balcony anymore. After dinner she had come up to enjoy the sunset, but even though it had gotten dark she still hadn’t gone back inside.

“Hey, you doing ok, Marinette?” Cat Noir asked as he walked over to where she was sitting curled up in a blanket nest.

“Yeah,” she answered quietly.

“You say yes, but I hear no.”

“It’s friend stuff, I don’t want to bother you.”

“Well, I’m your friend, right? So it’s exactly what I like to be bothered with.” He set down on the ground beside her seat and looked up at her with a smile. 

“If you insist,” she chuckled. “Um, well you know my friend Alya, from the LadyBlog.”

“I am very familiar with her, yes.”

“She has been saying and doing things lately that have bugged me, but nothing major. Today was just a few more things like that, and each one wasn’t big, but it’s starting to pile up.”

“Oh?”

“She was really judgy about another friend of mine, Kagami, and then later she said she thought I was lying about having plans with Kagami. ALya really thought I had lied to her about being friends with Kagami AND about having plans with her. That, that hurt.” Marinette tried not to start crying, which meant that she did.

“Alya is known for her opinions, and they aren’t always right,” Cat said after a moment. “Kagami is pretty cool- from what I’ve heard. Well, I assume she’s cool if she’s friends with you. It’s not like I know her. Anyway, even if Alya wasn’t being rude about Kagami, it was rude to assume you were lying about having plans, no matter who they were with.”

“I’m not just being sensitive?” Marinette sniffled.

“Not at all,” Cat Noir said before joining her on her chair and drawing her into a hug. “I don’t think this means Alya is a bad person, but you may need to have a serious discussion with her.”

“Ugh, that’s the last thing I wanted to hear.”

“That’s how you know it’s important.”

They sat together for a few more minutes as Marinette stopped crying. She thought for a moment that Cat Noir was purring, but maybe that was just her body being shaky from crying.

“I think it’s time for bed,” she said as she tried to untangle the blankets so she could stand up.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Cat said as he stood up and helped her. Once she was standing, he gave her one last hug before leaping away into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do like Alya, but she is useful to sprinkle in a little conflict to this story


	53. PCOS

Marinette sat next to Alya in silence the next morning before class started. Alya kept fidgeting, and Marinette noticed that she seemed to be typing and then erasing something on her phone over and over.

“Good morning, Marinette!” Adrien said cheerfully as he took his seat in front of her. “Kagami said she had fun with you yesterday!”

“Fun?” Marinette asked with a laugh.

“Ok, she said that she was pleased to meet with you and that it was a productive conversation,” he said back with a shrug.

“That sounds a lot more like her,” Marinette said. “I’m honestly still amazed she respects my opinions about art so much.”

Adrien gave her a bright smile. “Why wouldn’t she? You’re amazing at everything.”

Marinette was helpless to stop the blush that bloomed across her cheeks. Adrien locked eyes with her, and they both stared at each other in silence. Her first thought was to argue with him. After all, hadn’t he had to pick her up after she tripped on air enough times to know she was almost too clumsy to function? And her regular inability to even talk to him??

“Um, Marinette?” came a quiet question from behind Marinette’s right shoulder.

“AH!!” Marinette shrieked, jumping out of her seat and landing in an undignified heap on the floor.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Mylene said, trying to pick Marinette up off the floor. “I just wanted to ask if you can eat lunch with the girls today, I have something I want to talk about and I would appreciate it if you were there,” she whispered.

Marinette popped up off the floor and brushed herself off. “Of course I’ll be there for you Mylene!”

“Thanks,” Mylene said with a shy smile. Marinette sat down in her seat again and tried to pull herself together. It was usually only Adrien or Cat who could startle her that badly. Luckily for her, Ms Bustier started class before Marinette could embarrass herself yet again.

The morning moved decently smoothly, although there was definitely less note-passing between Marinette and Alya than usual. Marinette was still unhappy that her best friend had thought she was lying, and Alya seemed pretty focused on her phone when she thought the teacher wasn’t looking.

Marinette was starving by the time lunch rolled around, and she was glad she had packed food for lunch today. She tried to keep food with her in case an akuma attack threw off her schedule, but, well… she didn’t always have enough time in the mornings to plan ahead.

She took her time packing up her bag, glancing around to see the rest of the girls in class were all doing the same thing. Clearly Mylene had asked them all to join her. Unfortunately, that did seem to include Lila. Marinette stuffed down her frustration with the Italian transfer student out of loyalty to Mylene.

“See you after lunch!” Adrien said brightly before wrapping Marinette in a quick hug and dashing off. Even though they had been casually hugging for weeks, she was still surprised that he was comfortable enough with her to do it. She had seen him dodge hugs from Chloe and Lila enough to know that he didn’t hug just anyone, and she counted it as a personal badge of honor that he hugged her often, even if most of the hugs were pretty quick.

“Let’s all sit in the park, the sunshine looks nice today,” Mylene said when she realized everyone was waiting on her to lead them to lunch.

Marinette followed Mylene, Rose, and Juleka out of the door. Alix had switched into her skates already and was just behind Marinette, and Alya and Lila were the last to leave the room. Chloe had already dragged Sabrina out, and Marinette assumed they wouldn’t be joining the group.

It only took a few minutes for them to cross the street from the school to the park, and soon they were all seated in a patch of sunlight. As soon as Mylene sat down she pulled out a sandwich and took a big bite, so everyone else followed her lead and started eating their own lunch.

They ate in relative silence, but Marinette awkwardly noticed that she was eating more food than everyone else. Being a superhero meant she was basically always hungry, and when she wasn’t eating at home where her parents could see her she tended to eat a bit more. There also hadn’t been an akuma attack the day before, which meant the odds of there being an attack today had been bumped up enough that she needed to make sure she was at full energy. 

“Wow, somebody is taking their lunch seriously,” Alya commented with an odd look in her eyes before glancing at Lila, who was seated beside her.

“Oh, you know, my mom thinks I’m about to hit another growth spurt,” Marinette said awkwardly as she swallowed another bite of her apple. “I hope it’s not just my legs like the last one…”

“Mood,” Juleka mumbled.

“I wouldn’t mind a growth spurt or three,” Alix said. She had already finished eating and was trying to skate circles around them, but the grass was making that difficult.

“I’m sure you will,” Marinette said before feeling a bump on her hip through her purse. She was confused for a moment, since she was positive she had made sure to give Tikki a cookie when everyone was distracted, but then she realized it was a warning from her kwami not to imply she knew anything about Alix’s future self.

“I like my height!” Rose said enthusiastically.

“I wish I could change a lot of things,” Mylene mumbled, staring at her hands.

“Is that what you wanted to talk about?” Alya asked, trying not to sound nosy but not quite succeeding.

“Yeah,” Mylene answered, looking around at each of them. “Um, so after that akuma I talked to my dad, and based on some things in my family history, I went to the doctor for testing.”

“Family history?” Alya asked. “Do you think it’s something genetic?”

“Yeah, turns out my mom’s side has some… issues.” Mylene took a deep breath. “Nothing deadly like cancer, but… still not great.”

“Family diseases are the worst. I should know, my family has a rare blood disease. I don’t have it yet, but the doctors say it’s only a matter of time,” Lila said, and Alya gave her a hug while Marinette tried to disguise her laugh of disbelief as a cough.

“Um, yeah, so it turns out I have some called PCOS,” Mylene said, once again looking at her hands.

"What do the letters mean?” Juleka asked.

“Polycystic ovarian syndrome. Um, the way they explained it is that my ovaries are going crazy and sending out all kinds of excess hormones. It makes me pre-diabetic, causes cysts, and also means I have a lot of testosterone. It causes weight gain, and the condition is made worse by weight gain. So it makes itself worse.”

“Testosterone? Maybe you should take up sports,” Alix tried to joke before tripping on a clump of dirt.

“No, it doesn’t work like that,” Mylene said, blushing at the awkward topic. “It just messes with me in other ways, like… like…”

“It’s ok,” Marinette said gently, scooting over until she could reach Mylene’s hands and hold them. “You don’t have to share anything you don’t want to.”

“I want to tell you. I want to be able to say it out loud and make it seem more normal.” She took a deep breath and sat up straighter. “It causes hair growth. I have… I have a darker mustache than Ivan does, but he’s been kind enough not to mention it.”

Everyone gasped, which caused poor Mylene to flinch. Marinette moved closer to switch from just holding Mylene’s hands to giving her a proper hug.

“That’s a lot of rough stuff to handle,” Marinette said gently, “but I know you’re tough enough to pull through it. Like you said, it isn’t deadly, although it certainly sounds like it sucks. And they know what it is now, so that means they can treat it, right?”

“Yeah, I’m starting some medications this week that are supposed to help. The side effects are probably going to be terrible, but… it’s going to be worth it. I hope.”

“Have you told Ivan everything?” Alix asked.

“Most of it,” Mylene said, sounding a little calmer than she did before. “I didn’t want to explain too much about cysts and stuff, it made him just as uncomfortable as it made me, but he knows enough to be supportive.”

“I’m so glad you have him,” Rose said with a heartfelt sigh.

“Me too, Rose.” Mylene smiled at her friend before standing up. “Thanks for listening.”

“I’m glad you felt like you could be honest with us,” Lila said, and Marinette tried not to stare. Who was Lila to talk about honesty?

“We’re all here for you,” Juleka said, slightly louder than her usual volume.

They all gathered together in a group hug, and Mylene gave her first real smile all day.

\------------

**Sometimes, I think the problems in my life are overwhelming and I think it can’t be worse, but then I find out that someone I know is dealing with something awful and I am suddenly thankful that it’s not me, and then I feel guilty about that. As stressful as my life is right now, and as confusing as these assignments have made me feel, at least I’m healthy.**

_ Cheers to that. But just because it could be worse or just because someone else is facing something hard, that doesn’t mean that your struggles aren’t difficult and your feelings are still valid. At least, that’s what I’ve been told... _

**Having a supportive friend like you makes anything a little easier**

_ Agreed _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Serious topic chapter!
> 
> I got diagnosed with PCOS in 2015 and let me tell you, it SUCKS. My testosterone levels tested in the 90s when they should have been in the teens at the beginning, but with treatment I was able to get back to normal numbers. It affects 1 in 10 people with ovaries, but it rarely gets discussed. I'm certainly not a medical professional, but I am willing to answers questions about my own experiences with it in the comments.


	54. Situation

“Can I go to the bathroom?” Marinette asked in the middle of class, already climbing out of her seat.

“Uh, me too?” Adrien asked sheepishly.

“Yes, but please be quick about it, we’re almost ready to move on to the next subject,” Ms Bustier said in a firm tone.

“Thank you!” Marinette squeaked, doing her best to not look like she was running for the door. She remembered Adrien was behind her just in time to not let the door swing back and hit him in the face. She started down the stairs to the main locker room, since the windows were easier to climb out of from there, before realizing that there were closer bathrooms and that it would look odd to Adrien if she walked further than she needed to.

“I’m so distracted I forgot where I was going, oops!” she said with a nervous giggle.

“I’ve done that too,” Adrien answered, walking briskly beside her.

“Well, um, good luck in there! Don’t fall in! I mean- no- bye!” She threw the door to the girl’s room open and ran inside before she could look at Adrien’s face and see him laughing at her. He had to be laughing at her after what she had just said, she was sure of it.

Before Tikki could say anything, Marinette gave her a stern look. “Let’s all pretend I didn’t just say anything and focus on the akuma alert. Tikki, spots on!” 

As soon as she was suited up, she took a flying leap out of the window and followed the sounds of screams.

Cat Noir found her before she could find the akumatized villain. “Hey, bug. Um, I may need to talk to you about something serious tonight. I know we don’t usually patrol in the evenings if we had a battle, but something’s come up.”

“Yeah, I can meet you tonight. Ready to take this down? My teacher isn’t going to like it if I’m gone too long.”

“Same goes for me, my Lady. Let’s do this!”

\-------------------

The battle was wrapped up in about 15 minutes, which was a pretty short time for a battle but a pretty long time for a bathroom break. Marinette tried to sneak back into class without drawing much attention to herself, but she felt as though everyone was staring as she took her seat. Ms Bustier gave her a stern look but didn’t stop talking as she handed out a worksheet. Alya looked a bit concerned before glancing back down at her phone.

Usually Marinette would assume Alya was checking for akuma updates, but something about Alya’s expression seemed off. Marinette hoped it wasn’t anything too terrible, but she was afraid to ask.

Speaking of things she was afraid to ask about, she couldn’t help but worry about her partner. Cat Noir had seemed anxious, but not overly so. If it was something dangerous he wouldn’t have said it could wait until patrol, so she tried to remind herself to breathe normally. 

Then there was Adrien, who had been a bit stiff with her since they had gotten back to class. He had beaten her back from the bathroom, which made sense considering she had been gone for far longer than a normal bathroom trip should have been. He kept glancing at her when he thought she wasn’t looking, but it wasn’t the same looks that some of the other students were giving her. 

All in all, Marinette just wanted to go home and enjoy being alone for a little while.

\-------------

Too bad she was the Guardian and she would never be alone again for the rest of her life. As soon as she had made it past her parents and into her room, Tikki flew to her eye level.

“You’re worrying,” the kwami stated simply.

“Of course I am! Cat Noir has something serious to discuss, Alya’s been acting weird, Adrien got all tense after I disappeared…” Marinette had been flailing her arms as she said this and nearly knocked Tikki out of the air. “Can’t things just go smoothly for me? Isn’t Hawkmoth enough of a problem for me to tackle?”

“You’re going to talk to Cat Noir soon, so that will be taken care of soon,” Tikki said in a gentle tone. “We already knew you were going to have to sit down and talk to Alya, but she doesn’t seem ready for that. And who knows, maybe Adrien was tense because of his dad or something.”

“I guess you’re right, Tikki. I can’t fix everyone’s problems, there’s just not enough time in the day.”

“Exactly! Are you going to get some homework done before patrol?”

“I probably should,” Marinette grumbled, “even if it’s the least fun option right now. At least it's Friday!”

She worked her way through her assignments for about two hours, snacking on a bowl of grapes. Her computer played through her homework playlist, which mostly consisted of film scores. If she tried listening to anything with lyrics, she just wrote the lyrics instead of whatever she meant to write.

It was dark out when she went down to dinner with her parents. It was a quiet meal, as nothing interesting had happened in the bakery and Marinette didn’t feel up to explaining everything happening with her friends. It wasn’t long before she was transforming to head out and meet her partner.

She glanced at her yoyo and confirmed that he was waiting at the Eiffel Tower. It only took a few moments for her to get there, only to find him pacing on the highest deck.

“Hey, kitty,” she said to let him know she had arrived.

“Hi,” Cat Noir said, turning to face her. “We might have a situation.”

“What kind of situation?”

“I think one of my friends suspects my identity.”

Ladybug’s eyes went wide. “What makes you think that?”

“I ran out of class to get to the akuma battle today, and she made a really awkward joke, and I don’t know why else she would have said something like that.”

“Ok,” she said, sitting down and patting the floor next to her. “Do you trust her?”

“With my life,” he said without hesitation, gracefully folding his legs as he sat down beside her.

“If you trust her, I guess wait it out?” she said and he nodded thoughtfully. “Don’t bring it up unless she does, but if it’s not a bully or something there’s more hope.”

He took a deep breath. “That makes sense.”

“I’m glad you have friends you trust a lot,” she said wistfully.

“Don’t you?”

“I thought I did. Recently, the person I would have called my best friend has been acting odd. I know I need to just talk to her, but after spending every day on high alert because of Hawkmoth, the last thing I want to do is get into a discussion that could get either one of us akumatized.”

“That sounds rough,” he said, resting his head on her shoulder.

She glanced over and chuckled. “That doesn’t look comfortable, kitty.”

“I don’t mind,” came the quiet answer.

It wasn’t long before Ladybug noticed her partner was purring. “Are you doing that on purpose?” she asked.

“I am. I read online that cat purring is at a frequency that helps with healing.”

She couldn’t help but giggle. “So you’re going to vibrate until I feel better?”

He laughed too. “Well, are you feeling better?”

She wiggled so she was sitting closer. “Yeah, I think I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a pretty clear idea of how I'm going to tie up all of the loose ends of the story. Right now the biggest trick is stacking the plot points to build anticipation #sorrynotsorry
> 
> -The conversation with Alya is just going to get worse the longer Marinette puts it off...  
> -Does Adrien really think Marinette knows his identity, or is it a case of wishful thinking?


	55. Three

Marinette was thrilled to have made it to the weekend. She had promised to help her parents with a catering order that afternoon, but until then her schedule was blissfully clear. She took her time waking up, luxuriating in the quiet morning hours.

She eventually felt ready to acknowledge the outside world, so she wiggled herself into an upright position propped up on a mountain of pillows and unlocked her phone. She had a text from Adrien and a notification of a new article on the Ladyblog.

The Ladyblog update was short; apparently Alya had managed to get photos of the superhero pair the night before and was triumphantly declaring it proof that the LadyNoir shippers were right. It irked Marinette a little that she couldn’t get platonic snuggles from one of her closest friends without everyone assuming there was something romantic going on, but she shook her head. As long as she and Cat Noir understood their dynamic, no one else’s opinion really mattered. 

Still shaking her head, she opened the text from Adrien.

_ AA: Hey, I have a hole in my schedule for tomorrow, an event got cancelled. What are the chances we could hang out together? _

_ AA: I was serious about wanting to try more photography. Do you think you could wear the outfit you wore for the skydiving thing? _

Marinette couldn’t help it. She squealed as quietly as she could, but it was still loud enough to wake up her kwami.

“What’s up?” Tikki asked through a yawn.

“Adrien has some free time tomorrow and he wants to spend it with me! I kind of assumed Nino always had first dibs.”

Tikki read through the texts to catch up. “Nino probably isn’t interested in modeling.”

Marinette laughed as she took the phone back. “That’s true.”

**MDC: You’re in luck! I have the time tomorrow and the outfit is ready to go! Thanks for this, I’ve had people messaging my instagram asking for better photos of the whole ensemble**

_ AA: Perfect! Tomorrow at noon at the park by the school? _

**MDC: Sounds like a great plan!**

Marinette practically floated down to the kitchen to find breakfast. Even if Adrien wasn’t the cutest and sweetest guy in school, she would have been flattered by the attention. As someone with a hectic schedule herself, she understood how precious free time could be. The fact that he wanted to spend it with her… 

_ AA: I wish I had more free time today too. What are you up to? _

Even with all of her improvements, she was still thankful that this conversation was happening via text and not in person. Marinette was 90% sure she would have stuttered and then tripped at this point in a face-to-face interaction.

**MDC: I’m helping in the bakery this afternoon, we have a big order to fill for an event. They don’t need me until 14h, so I have the morning to myself**

Tikki munched happily on a chocolate chip cookie as Marinette washed her breakfast dishes and poured some boiling water in a mug for tea. It wasn’t long before the pair had made it back upstairs.

_ AA: Is helping in the bakery hard work? Do you enjoy it? _

**MDC: It’s not easy, but I do enjoy it so that helps**

Marinette opened up a playlist of Jagged’s greatest hits on her computer, took a sip of her tea, and opened her sketchbook to a blank page. There were no contests coming up, no gifts for friends any time soon, and no deadlines at all, and for the first time in months the idea of designing felt relaxing instead of stressful. Sure, deadlines were motivating and she was notorious for putting things off until the last minute, but there was joy to be found in creating for the sake of expression.

Two hours later, Marinette couldn’t help but smile as she sat back in her chair. The panting she had done as Ladybug had gotten her out of her comfort zone, and the idea of making clothes that looked like water in motion had come through in a series of sketches. The outfits on the last few pages ranged from casual clothes to formal attire, and while they were all unique designs there was a definite theme tying them together.

Tikki flew over to see the final results. “Wow, Marinette! These look incredible! Are you going to make them?”

Marinette hummed in response. “Maybe. I would want to use interesting fabrics, and that wouldn’t be cheap. Maybe I’ll submit them for a contest and make them if I win the money to cover the supplies.”

“They should go in your portfolio for sure!”

“Thanks, Tikki. I’m glad you like them!”

Marinette noticed that her tablet had a notification. She hadn’t heard much from her project partner this week, and suddenly felt bad for not checking in sooner.

_ Hey! I’ve decided to spend more time with the people that make me happy, even if I don’t totally understand my feelings for them. I’m sure the lesson on Monday will throw me for a loop, since basically every lesson has done that, but for this weekend at least I am going to focus on the positives and enjoy some time with someone who really seems to like me for me. Hope you enjoy your weekend too! _

**That’s a great plan, partner!! I’m a little anxious about Monday too, but the things I’ve learned so far have been worth the weirder moments. My morning has been great, and the rest of my weekend has a lot of potential. It sounds like yours does too! Go have fun- you deserve it <3**

The guilt of having not talked to her project partner in a while eased a bit. Whoever he was, he seemed to be in a happier, healthier place than he was a few weeks ago and it made her heart sing to know that she could help someone who had no expectations about her abilities to fix things. Not that she  _ should _ fix everyone, but to know she could make the world a better place for someone… that was the best feeling.

Marinette bounced down to the bakery, full of joy and energy and ready to make the world a sweeter place.

\---------------

“Nothing feels better than a hot shower and washing away the flour from my hair,” Marinette said as she brushed out her hair. 

“I agree!” Tikki said, watching from the desk.

Marinette finished her post-shower routine and moved on to finding all of the pieces for her outfit for the next day. Hopefully her good mood from today would overpower her nerves about modeling for Adrien tomorrow.

“How do you think-” Marinette stopped talking to her kwami when a sharp knock interrupted from the trapdoor above her head.

“Guess we’re gonna go three for three today,” she muttered to herself as she climbed up to unlatch the door. 

“Good evening!” Cat Noir greeted her cheerfully. 

“Let me guess… you want snacks,” Marinette said with a cheeky smirk.

“Snacks are always welcome, of course, but… I just wanted to see what you were up to tonight.”

“Did a little birdie tell you what I’m doing tomorrow?”

“Are you doing something interesting tomorrow?”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Come on in and take a look. But don’t touch anything!”

“Anything for you.”

The pair climbed back down to the floor of her room, Marinette watching her footing carefully and wishing some of Ladybug gracefulness would carry over to her civilian life. She waited until she was safely back on the ground before looking over to see his reaction to the ensemble arranged on her chaise lounge. She knew it wasn’t the first time he had seen it, since she had worn it on national television, but seeing it on the news was different from seeing it up close and in person.

“Oh wow, Marinette,” he said softly, leaning in to look closer. “I knew you were amazing, but this… this is incredible.”

“You really think so?” Marinette asked. She was proud of her talents and accomplishments, but she valued her partner’s opinion highly. Also it wasn’t exactly common for the source of her inspiration to be in her room looking at the results of her work.

“Are you kidding? You totally captured the look and feel of my suit without it looking like a costume! It even looks comfortable!”

Marinette couldn’t resist teasing her kitty. “Oh, you think it’s based on you?”

He paused and looked over at her. “Isn’t it? I thought I heard you say something about it. Or did you? Did I make that up? Am I that stuck up that I assumed it was based on me?” 

He looked so horrified and embarrassed that she couldn’t help but giggle, and the giggle turned into a chuckle, and the chuckle turned into a fit of hysterical laughter that had tears streaming down her face and left her collapsed on her floor.

“It… of course it’s based on you,” she finally managed to choke out. “You deserve the attention, really.”

“You think so?”

She jumped up and wrapped him in a hug. “I know so.”

“Thanks,” he said, hugging her back. 

“I’m glad you like the outfit. Now I can say it’s superhero approved!”

“Well, you made it, so it was already hero approved!”

Marinette froze. Did he… did he know she was Ladybug? Had he figured it out? She didn’t think he would bring it up as casually as that, but sometimes he surprised her, and-

“You were incredible as Multimouse,” he said, stepping back to look her in the eye. “If it was up to me, you would be back on the team in a heartbeat.”

“Oh, yes, Multimouse,” she said, blushing. She knew he had told Ladybug that she was a good hero, but to hear it directly? She couldn’t deny it, it felt pretty great.

“Would you like to be a hero again? Maybe not the mouse again, but I’m sure you’d be an amazing member of the team?”

“Who, me? A hero? Have you seen how clumsy I am? And I’m always late to stuff. Knowing me, I wouldn’t get there until the fight was over, and then I would just look ridiculous.”

“Just… promise me you’ll think about it?” he asked, his eyes wide as he looked at her. There was a softness in his gaze that made her freeze. She always felt like Marinette got lost in Ladybug’s shadow, but the way he was looking at her now… 

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Great! Well, I’m sure you need your beauty sleep, so I’ll leave now. I mean- You’re beautiful anyway! But sleep is good! Yeppers, sleep is great! Sleep good! No! I mean, sleep well!”

He scrambled away from her, his face flushed, and he climbed up her ladder and disappeared into the night.

“Tikki?” Marinette asked with a shaky voice.

“Yes?”

“What was that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just like writing FLUFF
> 
> (there's angst coming up and I wanted a little treat before diving in)
> 
> Also I can't thank you all enough for the comments. Every time I see a new comment I get unbelievably excited, and I treasure them all! Short ones, long ones, analysis, gushing, catching my spelling errors... I do not take any of them for granted. Hugs to all of you, whether you've been reading from the beginning or just discovered this story, whether you comment on every update or you enjoy silently... I love you all <3


	56. Picture Perfect

Marinette gave herself plenty of time to get ready Sunday morning. That was what she told herself when she woke up far earlier than normal, anyway.

She checked over each seam on the garments that were already laid out, ensuring there would be no wardrobe malfunctions. Of course, she had done these checks before the skydiving event and had carefully washed the outfit and not worn it again, but she was not going to let logic stand in the way of her catastrophizing.

Next was hair and makeup. She wanted to try something other than her usual style, but she couldn’t come up with anything else.

“Oh!” squeaked Tikki. “I can braid the front into a high ponytail! That would look different but not be too much like when you were Lady Noir!”

“That’s a perfect idea! You wouldn’t mind helping?”

“Not at all!”

With that, Marinette set down her brush and made sure she had a hairtie ready. Tikki took a moment to fly around her head and examine her hair from all angles before diving in. Marinette tried not to giggle, as having a kwami in her hair tickled more than she expected. It wasn’t long before she heard a muffled “Ta-da!” and Tikki popped out with a satisfied look. Marinette had just been expecting a simple braid to keep the top back, but when she looked in the mirror she realized it was a series of complex braids with different sizes and patterns that made a mesmerizing maze.

“Where did you learn to do this?” Marinette asked breathlessly.

“I had a Viking Ladybug that taught me all about braids! Estrid was amazing at them, and she could braid her hair fast when she was running late.”

“I’m not the only Ladybug who struggles with being on time?” Marinette laughed.

Tikki giggled with her. “No, most of my Ladybugs are not the most punctual people ever.”

As she got dressed, she took a moment to absorb what Tikki had said. Most of the time, she didn’t think about the fact that she was just the latest in a long line of heroes that stretched back over thousands of years of human history. Part of her wanted to research the past Ladybugs more, but she was afraid of what she would find. After Tikki had talked so fondly of Joan of Arc, Marinette had been forcefully reminded that not all heroes have a happy ending.

It wasn’t long before Marinette was seated in front of a mirror and contemplating her makeup choices. She didn’t wear much on a regular basis, but this outfit plus the Viking inspired hair really called for a more edgy look. Just as her mask gave her confidence, so too did the bold eyeliner and eyeshadow she put on to complete the look. While she had been getting more comfortable around Adrien as a friend, the idea of borrowing some of Cat Noir’s energy to try being a little flirtier was enticing. Between the lessons in school and the conversations with the other girls in her class, she knew there were other possible dynamics between two people. Sure, Cat Noir had been flirting with Ladybug for months, but that felt just as unreal as the fact that she got super powers from jewelry.

Right before she headed down to the bakery to grab a treat to bring with her to the park, her phone rang. Assuming it was Adrien, she answered it without looking. “Hello?” she said cheerfully.

“Hey, Marinette!” Alya’s voice came from the other end, sounding awkward.

“Hi Alya! What’s up?”

“I’m on my way over, I just wanted to check if you were awake.”

“Oh,” Marinette said, stopping on the stairs. “Um, I’m actually headed out right now, and I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”

“I thought you didn’t have any plans this weekend?” Alya asked, sounding suspicious.

“Well, I didn’t, but Adrien texted me yesterday asking me to hang out, so obviously I said yes,” Marinette answered with a nervous laugh. She didn’t want to make Alya think she was still head over heels for the model, but if it got her off the phone faster…

“He asked you?”

“Yup,” Marinette said, popping the P as she kept going down the stairs. “Apparently something got cancelled on his schedule and he had some unexpected free time.”

“Um, well, ok… I guess I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” Alya’s tone sounded off, but Marinette was starting to worry about running late.

“Ok, sounds good! Bye!” Marinette heard a faint goodbye from Alya as she pulled the phone away from her ear and hung up the call before popping into the bakery.

She knew deep down that she truly needed to sit and talk to Alya, but she knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and she was under so much stress from school and being Ladybug and being the Guardian that the idea of willingly walking into a potential confrontation just wasn’t something she wanted to do.

She had told her parents the day before about her plans with Adrien, so they just chuckled as she came through the bakery in a whirlwind, grabbing some croissants and a few macarons before disappearing out the door. Marinette spotted Adrien under a tree, focused on a large camera in his hands. He was fiddling with the settings and muttering under his breath. She took a moment to appreciate this side of Adrien that she hadn’t really seen before while doing her best not to compare him to Cat Noir when he was finding new features on his baton. She kept walking toward him, assuming he would sense her approach, but apparently the camera was more all-consuming than she realized and she managed to walk right up to him without him noticing her presence. Channeling her superhero partner, she took a moment to pose against the tree trunk just over Adrien’s right shoulder. She closed her eyes, shifted her face into a smirk, and quietly said “Hey there, hot stuff.”

Adrien jumped nearly a full foot into the air, nearly dropping the camera. He spun around with a panicked expression while gasping for breath. Marinette couldn’t help it; she doubled over laughing so hard she started crying.

“I am so- sorry,” she gasped out. “Call that payback for the number of times you’ve startled me in the locker room at school."

Adrien chuckled. “I didn’t think I had ever scared you that badly, but if I did, we’ll call it even.”

“I brought croissants!” she said, holding the bag up as a peace offering.

“You really know how to spoil a guy,” he said with a laugh, reaching into the bag and pulling out a pastry. She pulled the other one out and took a big bite, gratefully to have a moment to pull herself back together. She enjoyed joking with Adrien, even if she always felt like she was processing things slower and playing catch up on social signals.

“I can’t get over how cool this outfit is,” he said after finishing the croissant. “Your hair is so cool too! I’m so excited to photograph you!”

“Really?” she asked, shocked by his enthusiasm.

“Absolutely!”

“I don’t have a ton of experience at this so if I do something that look stupid, just tell me, ok?” she asked.

“You’re gonna be great,” he soothed. “Also I don’t have a ton of experience behind the camera, so we can just learn together, right?”

“Right. No pressure,” she laughed nervously. Adrien smiled at Marinette, and she felt truly at peace, even if it was just for a moment. Before she realized it, he whipped up the camera and got a shot of her.

“I wasn’t ready!” she squealed, lunging for the camera.

“I’m the photographer here, and I know a good shot when I see it!” he laughed, easily dodging her hands.

“Adrien!” she screeched, stretching as high on her toes as she could go. Adrien held the camera well above her head, laughing as she huffed in frustration. “Why do you have to be so tall?” she complained.

“Hold on to that energy, now let me back up and bit and set up the shot.” He shuffled backward, bringing the camera down and looking through the viewfinder. Marinette couldn’t help but pout at the camera. She meant it as a joke, but she heard the shutter on the camera and realized Adrien wasn’t kidding about jumping right in. She started to tense up, nerves inevitably taking over.

“Don’t get nervous now!” Adrien shouted, still looking through the camera. “You’re dressed as Cat Noir, right? What would he do in front of a camera?”

“What a purr-fect suggestion,” she said softly. Of course she knew her partner well, but then she thought about when she had transformed with Plagg and how free she had felt. When she looked up into the camera lens, her eyes sparkled with mischief. She shifted from pose to pose, trying to show off the outfit while also embodying the chaos of the Black Cat miraculous. After ten minutes of Marinette feeling vaguely ridiculous, she realized Adrien was looking rather red. “Are you ok?” she asked, walking over and reverting to her normal body language. “Do we need to go get you some sunscreen? I have some at home.”

“No,” he coughed, rubbing his neck with the hand that wasn’t holding the camera. “Um, is that what you think Cat Noir acts like?”

“Not exactly,” she said, feeling self conscious. “I imagined what it might like to be my own version. I didn’t want to copy him directly, that would be… weird…”

“Are you kidding? He’d be flattered!” Adrien said frantically, reaching forward and grabbing her arm.

“Oh? What do you know about how he thinks?” she asked softly, looking up from his hand on her arm. As she made eye contact with him, his eyes opened wide and he simply stared back at her. “Let’s keep taking pictures,” she said when he seemed incapable of forming words. He nodded and she walked over to the fountain.

For the next hour, the pair danced around each other, ranging across the park. Wide shots and close ups, bright sunlight and soft shade; no picture was left untaken. Marinette found she didn’t need to tell him when she wanted to move to a new spot. Somehow, Adrien followed her without prompting. Adrien’s phone rang and he answered it quickly. Marinette took the time to check for messages on her own phone and make sure Tikki was doing all right hanging out in her pocket.

“That was Nathalie,” Adrien said as he hung up. “Apparently something else got rescheduled and I have to leave already.”

“That sucks. Do they do this to you often?”

“All the time, actually,” he said, his shoulders slumping forward.

“Hey,” she said, walking over and gently tilting his chin up. “I’m honored you would choose to spend your limited free time with me.”

“You’re not mad that I have to leave?”

“Of course not!” She looked him right in the eye before leaning in and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. “My friendship isn’t that delicate.”

He looked closely at her and smiled shyly. He held up his fist and said, “Pound it?”

She looked at his fist, and looked back at him. There was hope in his eyes, and she didn’t want to confront what exactly it meant in that moment.

“Yeah, pound it.” She tapped her fist against his before wrapping him in a hug. “I’ll see you in class tomorrow, ok?”

“Ok.” He grabbed his camera bag and walked with her to the gate, where they found a car waiting for him.

Marinette walked home and dashed upstairs. As soon as she knew she was alone, she popped open the Miracle Box and pulled out the turtle bracelet.

“Tikki, Wayzz, I think the reveal needs to happen this week.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok... one last dose of fluff. But now all of the pieces are in place for the actual plot to show up again (plot? what plot?) Just in case anyone needs a refresh since this has gotten WAY longer than I ever anticipated
> 
> -What does Alya need to talk about?  
> -What is Lila plotting against Marinette?  
> -Why did Gabriel buy the Ladybug painting?  
> -When will we get the LadyNoir reveal?  
> -How will they handle the next lesson (which will finally be sexual orientation?)
> 
> Personal note: I am one of the 28,000 layoffs from Disney. My department (entertainment) got hit HARD, so... I'm doing ok, all things considered (like I'm not homeless or starving) but it definitely sucks to process.


	57. Lesson Six

Monday morning dawned bright and early; too bright and early for Marinette’s tastes. Even though it was the last day of March, it still wasn’t warm enough for her, and the temptation to stay snuggled under her warm blankets was nearly overwhelming.

She knew that, because it was Monday, they would have another lesson in class today, and for once she felt relatively confident guessing at the topic. She wasn’t afraid of it, but she wasn’t looking forward to it, either. Alya had gone on a crusade during the fall, right after the appearance of superheroes in Paris, trying to understand why she felt attracted to both Cat Noir and Ladybug. She had used Marinette as her sounding board as she searched the internet, so Marinette had a better grasp of the terminology than most girls her age. Alya had come to the realization that she was pansexual, and she had spent the next few weeks trying to get Marinette to pick a label as well. 

How was Marinette supposed to explain that she really didn’t find Ladybug attractive because she couldn’t be attracted to herself?

Eventually, she dragged herself from her bed and got ready for the day. She didn’t have enough time to eat breakfast before leaving, so she grabbed a pain au chocolat off the counter, munching happily as she crossed the street to the school. She waved at people as she headed toward the locker room.

Before opening her locker, she crammed the last few bites of pastry into her mouth all at once. It wasn’t very ladylike, but she needed both hands free. When she closed the door, she realized Alya was watching her quietly. She finally managed to swallow her food before smiling. “Good morning, Alya.”

“Good morning, Marinette. Breakfast on the go?” Alya asked.

“Yep, you know me! Getting up in the morning every day is a struggle.”

After a moment of awkward silence, both girls’ phones beeped with an akuma alert. Marinette’s eyes opened wide, and she tried to smile. “Gotta go to the bathroom before class!” she squeaked, running out the door without looking back.

She made it to an alley without being noticed and transformed quickly. If she was truly lucky, she could get the akuma taken care of and only be a little bit late to class. 

\-----------

Marinette was struggling to breathe normally in her seat in Ms Bustier’s class. Her luck had come through and the akuma was only Mr Pigeon again. She had still had to practically fly back to the school to avoid being late, so she was sitting in class concentrating on lowering her heart rate before anyone noticed anything.

“Are you ok?” she heard Adrien whisper when he turned around to give her the pencil she had dropped.

“Yeah, I just don’t like Mondays,” she said with a weak shrug. 

Alya snorted, and Marinette glanced over to see her shaking her head. Marinette felt a sinking feeling in her stomach at the gesture. She knew she needed to talk to Alya, but maybe it was more pressing than she had realized. Judging by Lila’s smirk, it wasn’t good.

“Good morning, class!” Ms Bustier greeted them all cheerfully. “Can you believe we’ve made it to the sixth lesson in our project about self understanding?”

They all shook their heads. Marinette knew she sometimes struggled with judging the passing of time, but she couldn’t believe it had been 6 weeks. Then again, all of the time since she had received her Miraculous had kind of seemed like a blur.

“I’m sure you all know what today’s lesson is about, but I want to start by explaining why we waited to cover the topic of sexual orientation until this week. The words we use to describe who we are attracted to revolve around our own identity. “Heterosexual” and “homosexual” operate on the traditional gender binary for definition; are you attracted to people different from you and similar to you?”

Ms Bustier let her questions sink in for a moment. She knew this was the heaviest topic on the list, and the last thing she wanted was to make someone so uncomfortable they became a target for Hawkmoth.

“I won’t be going over all of the different labels that exist, because it is a long list. It’s also important to note that you are not required to use labels. Many people find comfort when they find a label that fits them, because it confirms that there are other people out there who view the world the same way. Labels are like boxes for cats: if you try to force a cat into a box, they will fight to get out, but if they choose the box, they will happily settle in.”

“Are there really that many different labels? I thought you were either gay or straight,” said Kim with a look of genuine confusion.

“Absolutely! Do you believe that with the billions of people that are on this planet they all fit into only two categories?”

“I can’t imagine viewing the world from such a narrow viewpoint,” Alya piped up. “I think there is something attractive about pretty much anyone.”

“Have you found a label for yourself already, Alya?” Ms Bustier asked.

“Yep! I’m pansexual, gender doesn’t play a part in how I look at people,” Alya responded confidently.

“That’s an excellent example, thank you Alya,” Ms Bustier smiled. “It is also possible to fit multiple labels. For example, Alya could be described as both pansexual and allosexual.”

“Allosexual?” Alya asked hesitantly.

“Correct; that is the label for anyone experiencing sexual attraction. It is the opposite of asexual, someone who does not experience sexual attraction.”

“It’s healthy to not be attracted to anyone?” Max asked.

“Correct! Studies indicate around 1% of the population is asexual, although experts suspect the number may be higher than that, as it is not a well known term.”

“Sounds like there’s something wrong with them, if you ask me,” Chloe said with a huff.

“Not at all,” Ms Bustier said with a gentle but firm tone. “There is a lot of range on the asexual spectrum. Some people only experience attraction rarely, and they can use the label gray asexual or ‘gray ace’ to describe their experiences.”

“Can you change your label?” Marinette asked, surprising herself by speaking up.

“Absolutely! People are in a constant state of change, so the words you use to describe yourself can change as well. For example, while you can all be described as students now, you won’t be students forever, right?”

The room was quiet as everyone pondered what Ms Bustier had said.

“You may want to do some additional research this week. It’s possible that you have not found the label that fits you best yet, so do some reading and see if you can find something that describes your experiences well.”

\---------------

Marinette walked home for lunch in a bit of a daze. It turns out she was in no way prepared for their lesson that morning. She definitely was going to need to do some research.

She already suspected that she viewed the world a little differently than the rest of her fellow students. If the picnic in the park with the girls had shown her anything, it was that discussing sexual attraction was not a subject they were all strangers to. Without that conversation, she would have assumed she was simply too young to be considering those kinds of feelings. 

At least she knew she didn’t have to claim a label permanently. That kind of pressure might have crushed her.

Part of her wanted to email her project partner right away, but she couldn’t seem to put any of her feelings into words just yet. A quiet lunch at home would at least give her some processing time. 

She checked her phone and noticed a text from Alya and a text from Adrien.

_ AC: Can we go to the park after school to talk? _

Marinette sighed. She knew it wasn’t going to be pretty, but she needed to suck it up and face her friend.

_ AA: You need to talk to Alya. Today. She’s saying crazy things, I think she got them from Lila _

That made Marinette feel even more nervous about the upcoming conversation. If Lila was feeding rumors to Alya, it could be truly serious. 

Marinette ran upstairs and transformed into Ladybug as soon as the door was closed. She called Cat Noir and left a message, asking him to keep an eye on the park in that afternoon. The risk of Alya getting akumatized and Marinette having a hard time escaping to transform was too great.

She was kicking herself for not doing the reveal with Cat sooner. It would be so much easier to handle this if he knew why it was so serious. But she still wanted the reveal to be special, even if it felt like she was running out of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I keep pushing back the Alya conversation but Lesson Six was on the heavy side and I felt like it needed to be on its own
> 
> Also it only took 57 chapters to start explaining the title lol


	58. Confrontation

The afternoon classes passed in a haze. Marinette wanted to talk to Adrien to have some clue of what she was walking into with Alya, but he arrived just as class was starting and Alya was watching her every move. 

The only thing keeping Marinette from going into a complete meltdown was that Alya didn’t seem angry with her. The vibe she was picking up seemed to fluctuate between disappointment and concern. Marinette feared that months of cancellations for superhero duties was about to come around and bite her.

Her notes were worse than normal due to her preoccupation; hopefully Adrien would be willing to loan her his notes, as whenever he was in class he took excellent notes. She had improved in her own notetaking to be able to give him notes when he was out for modeling gigs, but those skills were not enough to carry her through this mess.

The class inevitably ended, and Marinette did her best to not hyperventilate while packing up her bag. She looked up and locked eyes with Adrien, who looked back at her with a mix of concern and support.

“Text me after,” he whispered as he ducked down to pick up his bag.

She gave a subtle nod, and he walked out the door with Nino. Nino also looked uncomfortable, but he didn’t make eye contact with Marinette. 

Alya gestured to the door and Marinette took a deep breath before walking out, focusing on not crying. At least, not crying yet. She had no doubt she would be a sobbing mess by the end of the night, but at this point her goal was to make it home before the dam broke.

Marinette followed Alya out of the school, across the street, and through the park silently. The pair took a seat on a bench, then stared at each other for a long moment.

Alya took a deep breath and looked Marinette dead in the eye.

“Do you trust me?” Alya asked softly.

Marinette tried to keep her rising panic from showing on her face.  _ Did _ she trust Alya? She had trusted her enough to give her the fox miraculous, but she couldn’t tell Alya that. Also, after the fallout from Miracle Queen she couldn’t give it to her again anyway. She couldn’t tell Alya about most of the stress in her life as Ladybug and the Guardian. But that wasn’t because she didn’t trust her. Right?

“Yes, I do,” Marinette said, looking at her hands. “I’m sorry I haven’t shown it much lately.”

“Then can I ask you something… uncomfortable?”

“Uncomfortable?”

Alya reached out and took Marinette’s hands in her own. Marinette couldn’t tell how much of the shaking was her or Alya.

“Why haven’t you told me about your eating disorder?”

“What?!” Marinette gasped. That was the last thing she expected Alya to say. Where in the world would she get an idea like that?

“You’re bulimic. Like, a textbook case. You binge eat unhealthy foods like pastries and constantly disappear to the bathroom to throw it all up.”

Marinette felt like she couldn’t breath. Of course she wasn’t throwing up constantly! She didn’t really go to the bathroom more often than anyone else did! She just… used the bathroom as a cover to fight akumas.

A lot.

_ Oh no. _

The tears she had been desperately trying to hold back burst forth with an agonized sob. How could she explain her way out of this? 

“I don’t have bulimia, Alya, I swear,” she cried. “I really don’t eat that much, and I just have a high metabolism. I definitely do not throw up my food!”

“I know you’re probably in denial about this, but I really can’t keep quiet anymore. Lila told me she recognized the warning signs because eating disorders are really common among models.”

Of course this started with Lila. Who else would come up with something as damaging as this? Which meant the whole class knew. Which also meant the entire class was paying closer attention every time she “went to the bathroom.”

“I’m not in denial because there isn’t a problem!” Marinette begged through her tears.

“Are you kidding? Look at yourself, girl! Your weight and your food intake do not match up!”

“I... do a lot of exercise!”

“Excessive exercise is also a part of bulimia!” Alya shouted. By now, she was crying too. 

“Look out!” came a shout from behind Marinette. She turned around to see Cat Noir chasing a purple butterfly away from the pair. 

“Cataclysm!” He used his supercharged hand to grab the akuma out of the air before it could target either one of the girls.

“Thank you,” Marinette gasped out. She was grateful that he had clearly gotten her message to watch the park.

“I don’t want to intrude on what is clearly an emotional conversation, but I don’t want to leave you alone in case Hawkmoth sends another one, so…” he trailed off awkwardly.

“You know Marinette pretty well, right?” Alya asked him.

“Well… I don’t know if I’d use the term ‘pretty well’ but I know her name at least,” he said, scratching the back of his neck.

“I need her to accept that she has an eating disorder so we can get her some help.”

“What?” he said with a nervous laugh. “Are you kidding? Marinette’s like super healthy.”

“She eats a bunch of junk food, disappears to the bathroom a lot, and she just told me she does a bunch of exercise. What else could it be?”

“Um… she’s a growing teenage girl?”

Marinette was glad to have the conversation shift to Cat Noir for a moment. She could feel Tikki pushing against her hip, silently offering her support. The more she thought about it, the more she saw what Alya was seeing. How was she going to talk her way out of this one?

“She’s already pretty skinny, why do you think she would want to lose weight?” Cat was asking Alya when Marinette returned her focus to the pair.

“Duh, she loves fashion. Skinny is like the essence of fashion.”

“No it isn’t,” Marinette said quietly.

“I’ve heard Lila’s stories, I know about what models tell each other behind the scenes.”

“Alya, you really can’t believe anything Lila tells you.” Cat Noir crossed his arms and huffed. “She can’t be trusted.”

“What do you mean? She’s a model for Gabriel.”

“And isn’t your friend Adrien also a model? And has been his whole life? What did he have to say about this?”

“He…” Alya looked sheepish. “He said Marinette was fine and the eating disorders aren’t as common here as they are with the American models.”

“So who do you trust, the model with more experience? Or the girl who has lied about other things, including lying to my own face?”

“Wait… Lila lied to you?” Marinette asked. Her brain was too foggy to remember what Ladybug had told him about Lila at the moment.

“Yeah. I didn’t want to call her out publicly or anything, but that girl is bad news.”

“Oh.” Alya sat back against the bench, looking like the wind was gone from her sails. “Marinette, I love you dearly and whether or not you have an eating disorder, just remember that I am here for you, ok?”

“Thanks, Alya,” Marinette said, moving over on the bench to hug her friend.

“On that note, I’m gonna go, since you both seem a lot calmer now,” Cat Noir said as he walked backwards away from them.

“I can’t thank you enough for making sure this didn’t get messy,” Marinette said, standing up from her seat and grabbing her bag off the ground.

He bowed to her. “No thanks needed.” He took off with his baton and disappeared over the streets.

“Um, I need to go home and help Nora with the twins,” Alya said, grabbing her own bag. “See you in school tomorrow?”

“Of course,” Marinette responded with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I had the idea for this plot point months ago I knew it was going to hurt to write but once I had the idea I couldn't NOT do it so here we are
> 
> also I nearly wrote myself into a corner so thank god for Cat Noir dropping in


	59. Processing

Marinette walked into the bakery in a bit of a daze. Her brain kept looping around after her conversation with Alya. How could she prove to her friend that there wasn’t a problem while not compromising her heroic responsibilities? 

One thing was certain; Lila set this up intentionally to drive a wedge further between Marinette and Alya. It made Marinette’s blood boil to know that there was nothing she could do to retaliate and still be a good person. Whether Lila believed the lie or not didn’t really matter, the damage was done. 

“Are you alright?” Tom asked as he brought some fresh bread out to the front.

“No, not really, but I’m still figuring it out,” she said as she tried to smile.

“Your mother and I are always here if you need to talk,” he said. He was arranging the bread with deliberate focus, knowing that his daughter didn’t like people staring at her when she felt awkward.

Before she went through the door, she paused. “Thanks, Papa.”

Marinette took slow, measured steps as she climbed all of the stairs to get to her room. Remembering her promise to Adrien, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and opened the text conversation between them.

**MDC: How much did Alya tell you?**

She sent the text as she reached her room. The moment the door was closed behind her, Tikki flew out and gave her a sad look.

“I… I don’t know what to do,” Marinette said,her lower lip quivering. “I can’t promise I’ll ‘go to the bathroom’ less, since that’s by far the easiest way to get out of class to fight Hawkmoth.”

“Maybe you should have a few more excuses to cycle through, since it sounds like everyone is watching for that one now.”

“True…” Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she nearly dropped it in her haste to pull it out.

_ AA: Enough to make me worried for how your conversation would go _

_ AA: She asked about warning signs of eating disorders in models I’ve known on set _

_ AA: When I asked why, she said Lila had pointed things out that had made her “concerned” _

_ AA: So I responded that first and foremost this was a conversation I would not hide from you _

_ AA: Then I explained how it’s handled in the industry with therapy and such _

_ AA: Not that I know anyone who has dealt with it but I’ve heard enough here and there _

_ AA: I don’t think there was any truth in it since it started with Lila, but… if you have any issues, you know I’m here for you, right? _

Marinette couldn’t help but smile as she read the slew of messages. Knowing that Adrien saw through it and had her back helped soothe the sting of Alya’s accusations. 

**MDC: I’m thankful to have you in my corner**

**MDC: but I don’t know how to move forward with this. Proving the absence of something is kind of hard**

“Marinette, sweetie,” Sabine called from the bottom of the stairs, “I just got home from the store, would you mind helping me put the groceries away?”

“Coming, maman,” Marinette called back before plugging her phone in to charge and heading down.

The pair moved silently around the kitchen, working together smoothly to find the place for each item. 

“Your father is worried about you today,” her mother said gently as they finished the last bag.

“Honestly, I’m worried about me, too.” Marinette tried to laugh so it sounded like a joke, but it didn’t quite come out that way.

“Anything we can help with?”

“I wish,” Marinette said, walking over to the couch as Sabine put the reusable grocery bags back by the door.

“How about you tell me what’s going on, and let me be the judge of how I can help.” Sabine sat down beside her daughter, watching as she took a shaky breath.

“So, you know how Lila has continued to be a problem?”

“Of course.”

“She… she got Alya to believe I have an eating disorder.”

“Oh! How long has this been going on?”

“I don’t know how long Lila has been saying it, but Alya finally sat down to talk to me about it after school today.”

“So you’re still processing how you feel about the situation.”

“Yep.” Marinette tried to take another breath but sniffled. “I tried to explain that I eat healthy and exercise and all of the normal stuff but, well, you know Alya…”

“More stubborn than a mule?”

Marinette laughed weakly. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“Your body seems pretty healthy. In fact, when you went in for your annual check up last month, your doctor joked that your father and I should write a parenting guide to raising a healthy teenage girl.”

“So there’s proof that I’m fine?”

“This isn’t a simple problem with an easy solution, but there are a lot of warning signs that you don’t have. We eat healthy food and reasonable portions here at home, although-” Sabine paused and tapped her finger on her chin.

“What?”

“I must admit, you’ve been eating a little more so I am fully expecting another growth spurt soon. Nothing wild, mind you, but I suspect you’ll shoot up another inch any day now.”

“There’s not much hope of me being as tall as Papa, is there?”

Sabine laughed. “Not if my genes have anything to say about it.”

“Oh!” Marinette gasped as she remembered a key piece of evidence.

“What?”

“Remember that akuma that changed everyone’s bodies? Mine hardly changed! That has to count for something, right?”

“I don’t think akuma effects are normally a good indicator of anything, but that might hold more significance for Alya.”

“I don’t have to prove this is court or anything, just enough to get this rumor to stop spreading.”

“You know your father and I will back you up if you need to report Lila for this.”

“I appreciate that but… you’ve met Mr Damocles. I’m not holding my breath on a report improving things.”

“Just think, the school year will be over pretty soon,” Sabine said, closing her arms around her daughter in a loving hug.

“That’s true,” Marinette said as she took a calming breath.

“I need to go back down and help your father, is that ok?”

“Yeah, I need to get started on my homework. But you were right, telling you about it did help.”

After another hug, Sabine went downstairs. Before she headed back up to her room, Marinette grabbed a macaron for Tikki.

“You really are lucky to have such a supportive mom,” Tikki said as soon as she finished her cookie.

“I know. I wish I could tell her about the Ladybug stuff, but I want to keep her safe.”

Tikki nodded sadly. “We all do the best we can with what life gives us.”

“Maybe life could give me just a few less lemons for the next month, is that too much to ask?”

“I don’t think it is!” Tikki giggled.

Marinette took her school tablet out of her bag and settled in on her chaise lounge to email her project partner about lesson six. How was that lesson from that morning and not weeks ago?

She opened the email account and found an email already waiting for her.

_ Hey, partner… I’m going to be really honest, today was a bit of a mess for me between some friend group drama and this lesson hitting me like a fire engine. How does anyone figure this stuff out? Feelings can’t be measured or organized. If I don’t have the right words for it, how do I know what it is? Or is it something I might feel later? How does anyone find someone to love in this mixed up sea of chaos? It has to be possible, it’s been happening for thousands and thousands of years. I know from the earlier lessons that technically everything is valid and ok but why does it feel wrong that I can’t put how I feel into words? There were confident people in class and they seemed to know the answers to questions I haven’t even asked yet.  _

**Today was messy for me too, so I’m right there with you, partner. As confusing as this lesson was for me, that feels like the least of my worries today. Sure, I haven’t already found a label that describes me; that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Whether or not I know the words for it doesn’t change how I feel. It would be nice to know where I fit in to find others like me but I’m in no rush. I’m only 14, and a lot can change before I’m even an adult. I have things going on in my life demanding more of my time and energy and focus, so for the purposes of the assignment I’m going to use-**

Marinette stopped in the middle of the email. She pulled up her notes from class and scanned through what she was able to scribble down. One of the, gray asexual, stood out to her. A quick google search confirmed that it was under the umbrella term “asexual” and was used by people who only rarely felt attraction toward anyone at all. While searching, she also found the term “demisexual”, which meant the person only felt attraction after forming a strong emotional bond with the other person. She laughed and thought of all the times Alya had teased her about only being “Adrien-sexual”, but the laughter caught in her throat as she remembered that she wasn’t on good terms with her friend at that moment. Shaking it off, she reopened the email window.

**I think “gray asexual” is the label that feels like the best fit, at least for now. I’m positive that I need more time and experiences to really find the right fit, but all of the other things we talked about in class felt less right than this one does so… yeah. Gray ace.**

_ Is it that easy to find a better fit later? This just feels like so much pressure that I don’t have the energy for right now… _

**Mood**

_ I don’t mean to drop this discussion early today, but I’m just not in the right head space for it. Pick this up tomorrow, partner? _

**That sounds great, actually**

She couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to let her partner down, but she really didn’t have the energy to emotionally support another person right now. 

“Tikki, I feel a bit stuck,” she admitted softly. “I don’t want to let anyone down, but at the same time I’m afraid I’m going to collapse like a house of cards.”

There was a pause before the kwami answered. “That is a risk right now with the pressure you are under. I don’t want to minimize that.”

“I would try prioritizing but everything seems like a top priority,” Marinette said as she got up and started pacing the room. “Protecting Paris and defeating akumas is clearly a matter that requires all of my focus. I need to maintain a good relationship with my parents, both as a good daughter and to cover for the Miraculous duties. I need to maintain good grades in school for my future. I have so many people to support at school, and I couldn’t forgive myself if I let them down.”

“I know you feel like you should help everyone you know,” Tikki said cautiously, flying beside Marinette. “But the biggest thing you can do for them is continue to protect Paris and take care of yourself so you can do that.”

“So I’m just supposed to give up?” Marinette couldn’t disguise the panic in her voice. “There’s no hope for me to have friends??”

“Are they only friends with you because you do things for them?”

The girl froze on the spot. How often did the people around her help her out when she needed it?

“I don’t think you should give up on everyone or never help anyone ever again,” Tikki continued, “but you may need to relax your own expectations of how much you can do.”

Marinette sighed as she sat back down. “I wish you weren’t right about this.”

“Me too.”

“And what should I do about what Alya said?”

“There’s not much you can do to prove her fears wrong,” Tikki said, flying over and settling on her shoulder. “Take care of yourself, stay healthy, and continue to be kind to her until she realizes she was wrong.”

“Easier said than done, but I guess you’re right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to cover Marinette's reactions to both lesson six and Alya's intervention made this a tough chapter to write! Obviously neither topic is done, but hopefully this is a good start


	60. Loved

Marinette woke up feeling exceptionally groggy Tuesday morning. In an unsurprising turn of events, she had been completely unable to fall asleep that night, tossing and turning as she replayed her conversation with Alya over and over. She hadn’t been able to come up with a solution, which was starting to weigh on her.

“Tikki, is it too much to hope for a smooth day today so I can at least try to process everything?”

The kwami looked sadly at her chosen. “If it was in my power, it would be smooth for you, Marinette.”

Marinette gave her a sleepy smile. “I know you would if you could.”

She got ready for school quietly, without much of her usual busy bustle. She didn’t want to be late and draw attention to herself. At the same time, she didn’t want to be too early and have to face conversations with anyone she wasn’t prepared for.

Luck seemed to be with her, because she got to the front steps of the school at the same time that Adrien was getting out of his car. Without a word, he rushed over to her and swept her up in his arms in a comforting hug. 

Marinette did her best not to start crying, but she couldn’t contain a soft sniffle. Adrien just squeezed her a little tighter, and for a brief moment she had hope that everything would be ok.

Unfortunately the moment was very brief, as not a minute later an explosion rocked the street. Marinette felt Adrien stiffen, and it seemed as if he was instinctively trying to shield her from harm. The part of her mind focused on being a good Guardian noted that his reaction was very heroic.

“Um, I, uh, I need to-” he stammered as she pulled away to look around. “I gotta use the bathroom!” He took off up the school stairs faster than she had ever seen him move. 

Not one to waste the opportunity to escape without using the same excuse, Marinette ran back toward the bakery and ducked into the nearest alley to transform. 

Ladybug launched herself onto the roof of the school and was surprised to find Cat Noir had already made it.

“Fancy seeing you this early, my Lady,” he said with a salute.

“After the day I had yesterday, this is the last thing I need to be dealing with,” she said drily.

“Want to bump patrol to tomorrow to talk anything out?” he asked. “I know I can’t do much to help, but I can certainly listen.”

She paused for a moment before answering. Her habit of turning him down due to protecting her identity didn’t hold much weight, and the thought of explaining everything to him was more appealing than she expected.

“Um, if you’re serious,” she said cautiously, watching for his reaction. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

His smile grew slowly, but it reminded her of the glow of sunrise. “Anything I can do to support you, I’ll do it in a heartbeat.”

“Thanks, kitty.”

Another explosion shook the foundation of the building. Without another word, the pair launched themselves in the direction of the blast.  They stopped when they found themselves on the edge of a crater where the Montparnasse building had been. 

“I am The Apprentice!” the akuma roared. His costume looked like that of a 1950s greaser. “My ideas will never be stolen from me again!”

“Are all of your ideas, this explosive?” Cat Noir called out to get the villain’s attention.

“My story ideas are DYNAMITE!” With that, the villain pulled out a notebook, scribbled something down, then tore out the page and threw it at Cat Noir. While the hero was able to leap to safety, the building that was hit by the paper exploded.

“A wronged writer!” Cat shouted back with glee. “Care to use your words to explain your problem?”

“I’ll explain it to you, all right, if you give me your Miraculous!”

Ladybug was hiding behind a chimney as she watched Cat Noir and the Apprentice face off against each other. She didn’t want to call for her lucky charm too early, but her instincts told her that this akuma might be easily distracted with talking.

“There are better ways to get people to listen to you,” Ladybug called out as she swung over to her partner’s side.

“Then listen to this!” the akuma shouted, preparing another explosive note. “I have a personal message for you from Hawkmoth, Ladybug!”

“Oh, do you?” she asked, trying to sound bored when she was really desperately curious.

The purple mask appeared over The Apprentice’s eyes, and when he opened his mouth it was Hawkmoth’s voice that came out.

“My wife would have loved your painting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY about the delay in posting. My life plans got HELLA scrambled, and last week I ended up moving like 700 miles away for a job, only to quit the job a week later due to the terrible work conditions. Long story short, I now live in a completely different state. Hopefully January will calm down enough for me to get some more updates in on this story. Thank you for your patience with this! Also thank you for all of the comments you've left, I appreciate them all!


	61. Questions

Ladybug’s breathing stopped as she processed what Hawkmoth had said through his victim. Hawkmoth’s wife would have loved her painting? Did this mean he was upset he didn’t win the auction? Did it mean his wife was gone? 

The memory of Gabriel Agreste swearing her and Adrien to secrecy about being the owner of the art piece hit her so hard she stumbled backwards. They had suspected Gabriel before, but dismissed the thought after fighting him. Could he have akumatized himself to become the Collector? 

A loud crash reminded her that now was not the time to puzzle out what the bizarre comment meant. She looked up to see Cat Noir fighting The Apprentice with all of his might. Something seemed a bit more feral about the way he was attacking, but Ladybug was so shaken she no longer trusted her own senses.

It was a long battle with both heroes seeming a bit off their game. By the time it was over, it was the beginning of the lunch period at school. Normally this would have bothered Marinette, but the combination of not having to see Alya all morning and being guaranteed a break after the long battle were both very appealing to her.

She dropped onto her balcony and detransformed as she climbed into her room. Tikki silently grabbed a cookie from the secret snack drawer of Marinette’s desk and ate it quickly, watching Marinette with concern.

Marinette sat on her bed and stared unseeingly into the middle distance. Her only lead was the painting. She knew who owned it, but she wasn’t supposed to. The only person she felt comfortable questioning was Adrien, but what would she ask?

“Tikki?”

“Yes, Marinette?”

“I need to go talk to Adrien, don’t I?”

There was a pause before the kwami answered. “Yes, I think you do.”

“Are you ready to go?”

There was a final crunch before Tikki flew up to Marinette’s bed. “I am now.”

“Well then, Spots On!”

The trip to Adrien’s window went by much too fast for her. What was she going to say? The window was open, so Ladybug stood on the windowsill and looked around the room.

“Adrien?” she called out hesitantly.

“Ladybug?” came the confused answer from a lump on the bed. There was some wiggling before a mop of messy blond hair popped out of the tangle of blankets.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you!” she gasped.

“You’re not a bother! Please, come in!” he said, struggling to get out of the nest of covers. In his eagerness, he nearly tripped and faceplanted on the floor. Luckily for him, Ladybug was too busy nearly falling into the room to notice. 

“I don’t really know how to explain this question, and please don’t feel pressured to answer or anything,” she started, wringing her hands. 

“You can ask me anything,” he said breathlessly.

“What happened to your mother?”

Adrien blinked a few times. “Um, how about we take a seat,” he said, wandering over to the couch in front of the TV. The pair sat down gently and a moment of awkward silence settled over the room.

“She, uh, she had been feeling… not so great for a few months,” he explained, staring at his hands in his lap. “Dizzy spells, headaches. She told me it was nothing to worry about, and my father said I needed to man up for her.”

Ladybug nodded encouragingly, even though Adrien didn’t look up at her. “When was this?”

“Like a year and a half ago?”

“Ok,” Ladybug said, making a mental note of the timeline and comparing it to when Hawkmoth first arrived on the scene.

“Then one day just over a year ago, she didn’t come down to breakfast. I assumed she was just sleeping in, but she didn’t come down for lunch or dinner either. Father was clearly upset and Nathalie seemed even busier than normal, so I decided to just be patient. It was a few days later that Nathalie told me that my mother was gone.”

“Gone?”

“Missing, is the official word. Father insists that she is not dead.” Adrien sniffled and Ladybug realized he had tears in his eyes.

“Oh, Adrien, I’m so sorry,” she said before wrapping her arms around him in a hug. He hugged her back fiercely before she realized what she had done.

“I have another question that will probably sound even stranger.” Ladybug waited for Adrien to nod his consent. “Did your mother like art?”

He looked confused but he answered anyway. “She did. She was an actress, but she always described herself as an artist. Her favorite events were art gallery openings. She said that paintings were a window into the mind of extraordinary people.”

Ladybug couldn’t help but panic as Adrien said that. Suddenly, the identity of Hawkmoth and his motivations seemed crystal clear.

“Would your father do anything for her?”

“Absolutely.”

Ladybug jumped up from the couch and ran for the window. “I cannot thank you enough for telling me all of this, Adrien. And I’m sorry for what’s coming.”

“Where are you going?” he asked, confused by her sudden departure.

“I have to talk to Cat Noir, it’s urgent. Bug out!” With that, she leapt from the window and took off across the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my only Ladrien scene! Our story is getting closer to the end, but there are still quite a lot of loose ends to tie up.
> 
> (also if the next fic I wrote was a crackfic about them doing the disney college program would anyone read it lol)


	62. Suspicion

It didn’t take Ladybug long to reach the top level of the Eiffel Tower after leaving Adrien’s room. She took a seat and flipped open her yo-yo to call Cat Noir, but before she could place the call she noticed his locator said he was already heading toward her.

“Hey,” he said as he landed gracefully and took a seat beside her in one smooth move. 

“How did you know I needed to talk to you?” she asked. “I literally just got here.”

“Uh, call it a cat sense,” he said with an awkward laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“We need to discuss what the message from Hawkmoth meant,” she responded bluntly, staring into the distance.

“Tell me what he said, again?”

“He said, ‘My wife would have loved your painting,” she answered with a shiver.

“Well that’s not creepy at all,” Cat tried to joke.

“I have so many questions now! Is his wife dead, or did she just leave him? Does he have the painting or not? Is he just trying to mess with my head?”

“Those are all good questions,” he said, nodding along. “They never publicly released the name of the winner of the auction, did they?”

“No, they didn’t, but… I know who has it.” She looked up to find Ca Noir staring at her with a look of confusion.

“You do? How?”

“Um,” Ladybug kicked her feet back and forth off the edge of the tower as she tried to come up with a plausible answer. “A close friend told me.”

“Who?”

“How I know isn’t important,” she said, brushing his question aside. “The more important question is do we think the owner of the painting is Hawkmoth.”

“Didn’t we agree it couldn’t be Gabriel Agreste a while ago?”

“...how do you know the painting is owned by Agreste?”

It was Cat Noir’s turn to awkwardly kick his legs and try to ignore the question. “A friend told me.”

“...we both have friends who are close enough to Gabriel to find out about the painting?”

Cat Noir tried to laugh. “It’s a small world after all?”

“I don’t want to just go charging into the Agreste mansion,” Ladybug said, ignoring Cat’s attempt at a Disney joke. “We need a plan, and backup help, and we need to make sure we’re not walking into a trap.”

“Could your friend who gave you the info be a good backup hero?”

Ladybug made some ‘thinking’ noises. Cat Noir hadn’t talked to Marinette about the painting, so he must have talked to Adrien, which meant she shouldn’t claim she heard it from Adrien, even though she had just talked to the boy in his room.

“Maybe. What about your friend?”

“I don’t think that we can count on him,” Cat Noir responded drily. 

“Really?” she asked, confused by his tone. “Who is it?”

“Um, it’s a long story, but it’s Adrien Agreste,” he said, confirming her suspicions. 

“Maybe we shouldn’t ask him to possibly help take down his father,” she said, concern coloring her voice.

“Yeah, that wouldn’t be easy,” he said, curving in on himself. “So with that information, care to rethink your friend’s potential as a hero?”

“I’ll think about.”

“What makes you suspect Gabriel again? What specifically about Hawkmoth’s message made you suspicious?”

“He talked about his wife in the past tense,” she said, grateful that Cat had changed the topic and seemed to be taking her idea seriously. “I did some digging and confirmed that Gabriel’s wife disappeared mysteriously before Hawkmoth started terrorizing the city. If he wants our Miraculous for a wish, bringing back his wife sounds like a pretty strong motivator.”

“At least it’s a good reason?” Cat asked with a sympathetic tone.

“I don’t think making other people miserable and targeting children justifies any reason.” 

“No, you’re right.”

“Like I said, I don’t want to go charging in there today.” She looked up at her partner as her plan took shape. “I think we need to wait a few days, gather more information, think about some backup heroes, and see if Hawkmoth tips his hand again.”

“I agree.” Cat stood up, ready to leave. “I’m sorry, but I need to get back to school before anyone notices.”

“Same,” Ladybug said, also getting up from her seat.

“Do you still want to do a patrol tomorrow?”

“Absolutely,” she responded with a smile. “I couldn’t handle any of this without you, Cat Noir.”

“Thanks,” he said with a sweet smile. “I wouldn’t want to do this without you, either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got hired for a new job just two days after quitting the terrible one, so that's a huge weight off my shoulders!
> 
> I am so grateful for everyone's positive reactions and comments to the last few chapters as I wrap up the Hawkmoth plot. Then we just have the other plot threads to resolve: the identity reveal, the Alya situation, and of course the class project that the story is actually about. This fic has grown far longer than my initial expectations, but I'm still having a blast writing it!
> 
> (and that crackfic is definitely into the planning stage now, thank you for your encouragement!)


	63. Oh, Right

Marinette walked into the classroom that Tuesday afternoon feeling like an eternity had passed since she had left the day before. The long battle and discussion about Hawkmoth had made everything else in her life seem insignificant.

“Hey, girl, you feeling ok?” Alya asked as she sat down beside her friend.

“I didn’t sleep much last night,” Marinette confessed.

“Neither did I,” Alya said with a weak smile. “How has your project email partner been?”

“Huh?” Marinette asked, confused for a split second. “Oh, right, the project. That’s been going pretty well. I haven’t been able to really focus on this week’s topic, but I think I have a good starting point?”

“What is it?” Alya asked enthusiastically. “You know I came out as pan a while ago so this has been an easy week for me.”

“I know,” Marinette laughed. “Like I said, I’m not settled yet, but I think gray ace is the right term for me, at least for now.”

“Gray ace?” Nino asked. Marinette hadn’t noticed when he joined the conversation, but he clearly had heard her answer.

“Yep, I’m not very attracted to anyone but I don’t know if that will change at any point since, you know, I’m still practically a kid.”

“Things can change,” Nino said with a nod. “Good to not feel locked in, dude.”

“Thanks?” Marinette gave an awkward smile before focusing on getting her notes ready for class. Adrien slipped into the room just before the bell, and Marinette noticed that his mood seemed pretty down. Considering she knew he had had a difficult conversation with Ladybug during the lunch break, she wasn’t surprised.

Marinette was grateful when class started and she didn’t have to maintain conversation with her friends anymore. It seemed almost surreal to be learning about grammar when her morning had been spent locked in a violent battle and lunch had been trying to outthink a supervillain. She couldn’t decide if it felt good to have school as a sense of normalcy or if it was a distraction from more important duties. 

When the bell rang to signal the end of class, she breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn’t had to “go to the bathroom” at any point that day. If her suspicions were right, they might be able to take Hawkmoth down for good soon and she wouldn’t have to duck out of class at all anymore. Disproving the rumor would be much easier with that element resolved.

She walked down to the locker room with Alya, who was talking about the morning battle.

“Ladybug seemed kind of off her game today,” she was saying.

“She still took care of everything,” Nino said in the hero’s defense.

“We don’t know what happened at the beginning,” Adrien said softly. “Maybe Hawkmoth did something to try and throw her off.”

“Well, if he did then it worked,” Alya said. “Hopefully it was just a fluke.”

“Considering how often they have to fight, it’s amazing Cat Noir and Ladybug don’t have more off-days,” Marinette commented. “I certainly have bad days sometimes.”

“I guess,” Alya responded without much conviction. “It did get us out of class all morning, so I won’t complain too much.”

All four of them grabbed what they needed from their lockers and they left the building together. Adrien stopped for his customary goodbye hug from Marinette, and she noticed that he seemed to hold on just a bit tighter than normal. Alya and Nino left them alone, walking home arm in arm.

“Hey, you ok?” Marinette asked while still holding Adrien around the middle.

“Um, not really,” he said, his answer muffled since his face was in her hair.

“Anything I can do to help?” she asked, trying not to reveal that she knew part of why he seemed bothered.

“This helps,” he said simply. They held the hug for another minute before the Gorilla coughed, reminding Adrien that he had other places to be.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said as she stepped back.

“Yep, see you tomorrow,” he said as he climbed in the car and closed the door.

Marinette walked the short distance home to the bakery and grabbed a snack for herself and Tikki on her way up to her room. As soon as she closed her door, she pulled out the Miracle box to release Wayzz.

“Wayzz, did Master Fu suspect Gabriel Agreste of being Hawkmoth?”

Wayzz looked at her for a quiet moment before answering. “He was certainly concerned about the possibility after you found the book.”

“That’s right!” Marinette shouted. Looking back, the fact that Gabriel had the grimoire was even more suspicious. “We didn’t have a motive for him then, but I think we do now.”

“Can you explain everything from the beginning for me, please? And tell me where you learned each piece of information for full context.”

“I talked to Adrien today. He told me that his mother was sick for a while before completely disappearing. Today, Hawkmoth gave me a direct message and said his wife would have loved my painting. I know Gabriel owns the painting because I have seen it with my own eyes. The only people who know are Adrien and myself, as well as his assistant, Nathalie.” Marinette gasped. “Nathalie could be Mayura!”

Tikki and Wayzz looked at each other. “That is a possible explanation,” Wayzz said carefully.

“If Gabriel is Hawkmoth, I suspect his motivation is using the wish to bring back his wife, whether she is dead or missing. It would explain why he is so determined.”

“That is a strong motivation,” Tikki agreed.

“Gabriel is notorious for never leaving his house, giving him plenty of time to find akuma victims and oversee battles. He is cold and hard to talk to, which I have personally witnessed. It isn’t hard to imagine him as a villain.”

“You need to be careful not to project villainy upon him,” Wayzz warned.

“You’re right.” Marinette took a deep breath before continuing. “Hawkmoth may have realized that all of the heroes who were revealed by Chloe were connected to Adrien, which means he may suspect me as well. Gabriel showed me the painting and swore me to secrecy before taunting Ladybug about it. There is a high chance he believes me to be Ladybug.”

“What are your next steps?” asked Wayzz.

“I would like to pick another backup hero, but I’ve already used so many people from my class, and I’m afraid to bring in anyone else who would trace back to me. I also don’t like the idea of sending my friends into danger.”

“So you think it should just be you and Cat Noir?” Tikki pushed gently, knowing Marinette thought best out loud and needed to hear her reasoning.

“There’s no one in the world I trust more than him, and we understand each other so well. Any new hero would struggle to keep up with us.”

“What about the heroes in New York?” Wayzz asked.

“There’s a lot of context they don’t have, and again I’m worried about putting others at risk,” Marinette said thoughtfully, “but they have a better chance of being prepared than anyone else. At the very least, I should probably warn them about the possibility of needing someone to protect the Miracle box.”

“So maybe you can pick someone here to wield the Horse miraculous who can take the Miracle box to New York in the event of an emergency?” Tikki suggested.

“That sounds like the best plan,” Marinette mused. “And if they never enter battle with Hawkmoth, he’ll never know there’s another hero in Paris.”

“Do you have someone in mind?” Wayzz asked, noting the determined look on Marinette’s face.

“My mother,” she said simply. “I can give Kaalki the directions to find the box in my room and to tell her only if the situation calls for it. I’ve seen my maman when she gets defensive, she can handle anything that comes after her. If it becomes that bad and I can’t come back for the box, she will also probably be able to figure out why I can’t come home, giving my parents some sense of closure.”

“That sounds like a solid plan,” Wayzz said, nodding his head. “When do you want to put this in action?”

“I definitely need to talk to Cat Noir about it first,” she said. “This is too big to decide without him, but I will let him know that I discussed the options with you. I want to let Hawkmoth stew for a bit, so I will give Maman the Horse on Thursday and Cat Noir and I can go to the Agreste mansion Friday after school. I’d really like to do this with as little extra lying as I can.”

Wayzz and Tikki nodded their approval. Marinette took a shaky breath before sitting up and squaring her shoulders. “I know there’s a lot that can go wrong, but I feel better with a plan in place.”

“It’s the best place to start,” Tikki assured her.

Marinette thanked Wayzz and replaced the bracelet in the Miracle box. She took out the glasses to summon Kaalki.

“Greetings, Master Marinette!” Kaalki greeted her brightly, and Marinette couldn’t help but smile. 

“Hi, Kaalki,” she said, holding out her hand for Kaalki to rest on. “We think we know who Hawkmoth is, but before Cat Noir and I head into the final battle, I have an important assignment for you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That battle is getting *closer* 
> 
> In true Marinette fashion, I got lucky and found 2 yards of rose colored velvet at Goodwill for $3 today and cannot WAIT to make something from it!


	64. Exposure

After explaining everything to Kaalki and working on her homework for a little while, Marinette finally gave up and crawled into bed. Sure, she didn’t usually go to bed at 18:30 but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Wednesday morning she felt slightly better. She had a plan and a few extra hours of sleep, which did wonders for her mood. She bounced down to the kitchen for breakfast, where Sabine stopped her.

“How do you feel this morning? You were asleep when I came up to tell you dinner was ready last night.”

“Feeling a little better after the extra sleep,” Marinette said as she peeled an orange. “I can’t wait for school to be over for the year.”

“I understand, but you can’t always pin your happiness on a point in the future,” Sabine said gently. “If you’re always waiting for the future to arrive, you won’t enjoy the present nearly as much.”

Marinette thought this over while peeling an orange. She could see why her mother didn’t want her to only focus on future happiness, but she couldn’t exactly explain how much happier she would be after taking down a supervillain. 

It wasn’t long before she was running out the door and sliding into the classroom a mere minute before the bell. After an awkward smile from Alya and a sincere smile from Adrien, Marinette settled in for another day of mundane schoolwork.

“What’s up everyBODY!” came a jubilant shout from the hallway. It was the only warning the class had before Jagged Stone burst through the door.

Everyone sat up in their seats, thrilled to see the legendary rockstar in their classroom. Ms Bustier jumped in shock, but when she saw Mr Damocles behind the musician she merely nodded and took a seat behind her desk.

“I just wanted to come by and say a huge thank you to my hero,” Jagged said as he walked to the center point of the room.

While most of the class turned around to look at Lila with excited grins, Adrien and Marinette shared a look that they both knew was extremely sarcastic.

“I needed to wait to make the announcement today, since no one would have believed me if I had said anything yesterday, what with it behind April first and all,” Jagged continued to explain. “But the arts fundraiser hit double the goal we set!”

The room cheered as Jagged looked them all over. “Of course, I couldn’t have done it without my hero. Penny here wanted to get a video of the moment I tell her just how much money we raised!”

“Of course!” Rose squealed. “Lila, get up there!!”

Lila looked for all the world like she was trying to disappear into thin air. Most of the class was now staring at her expectantly.

“Who’s Lila?” Jagged asked, visibly confused. “I’m here for Marinette!”

Marinette couldn’t help but blush as she got up from her seat and walked to the front of the room. She could feel the stares of her classmates, and was a little annoyed at their surprise. They were all there when she jumped out of a freaking airplane, right?

“Ok, camera is ready,” Penny said, pointing her phone at Jagged and Marinette. 

“Right! Hello, world! I cannot thank you all enough for helping raise funds for arts education,” Jagged said, waving his arms out so wildly Marinette had to dodge them once or twice. “It’s time to reveal the final total! I’m here with Marinette, the brave little lady who jumped from a plane with me a month ago. It’s only fair that she’s involved in the end like she was in the beginning!”

Marinette waved awkwardly at the camera, and she could swear she heard a faint shout of encouragement from Adrien’s direction.

“So Marinette, do you know how much we raised?” Jagged asked, turning to look at her.

“I don’t know, how much was it?” Marinette asked, trying not to sound scripted.

“Two point eight million euros!” With this, the entire room clapped and cheered. Marinette was stunned. She knew the Ladybug painting accounted for most of that. If her theory about Hawkmoth was true… her nemesis had funded two thirds of the total raised. That was a weird thought.

“That’s incredible!” Marinette gasped, barely remembering to react for the camera.

Penny stopped the recording and put the camera away before coming over to hug Marinette. “Thanks for everything,” she said softly. “You’ve done an amazing job with everything he threw at you during this. I’m sure we’ll work together again soon.”

Marinette smiled broadly. She loved working with Penny and Jagged, not because of their fame, but because of their wild artistic spirits.

“Let’s get a photo together before I leave!” Jagged said as he grabbed Marinette for a hug.

Penny took a few quick photos and Marinette went back to her seat. Before they left the room, Alya jumped up and said, “Don’t you want a photo with Lila too?”

“Who?” Penny and Jagged asked in unison.

“Lila, the girl who saved your kitten from an airport runway?” Alya asked, sounding more unsure of herself as Jagged stared at her with confusion evident on his face.

“I’ve never had a kitten,” he said simply. “And I’ve never met anyone named Lila. You must be thinking of someone else.” With that, Jagged Stone walked confidently out of the room, and Penny followed him while typing something on her phone.

Everyone turned to look at Lila, including Ms Bustier and Mr Damocles. 

She laughed nervously before shrugging. “So maybe I exaggerated a little…”

“A little?!” Rose shouted, standing up. “That was a lie! How could you- why would you- why??”

Juleka pulled Rose back down and mumbled something no one could hear. Rose struggled to take deep breaths, but she looked for all the world like she was about to vault the desk and leap at Lila.

“I- I have this lying disease-” Lila stammered.

“Cut it out, Lila,” Adrien snapped, and Marinette couldn’t help but be shocked. She had never heard Adrien sound so mad, but he almost sounded like…

“There’s no such thing as a lying disease like that. Compulsive lying is different, and you know it.” Adrien looked at the adults who were staring in shock at the chaos. “Would you please handle this situation before someone gets akumatized?”

Both Ms Bustier and Mr Damocles blinked for a moment in silence. 

“Come with me to the office, young lady,” Mr Damocles said with his usual bluster. “I think we have a few things to discuss.”

“Read quietly, please, I’ll be right back,” Ms Bustier said as she followed the principal and Lila out of the room.

Of course, no one did.

Conversations started in hushed tones all around her, and Marinette just dropped her forehead on to her desk. How long until Hawkmoth took advantage of the elevated tension? This was already a hotspot of akuma activity. Which one of her fellow classmates would she have to beat up today?

“Hey,” Adrien said quietly. “You handled that really well.”

“Did I?” she mumbled without looking up. “Whoever gets akumatized in the next ten minutes probably won’t agree.”

“Only Hawkmoth is to blame for akumas,” Adrien responded with a tone that allowed for no arguing.

“Old man needs to get a day job,” she muttered.

“Or a night job,” he joked.

Marinette lifted her head. When she made eye contact with Adrien, she couldn’t help but giggle. Her fears and worries about the upcoming showdown, the adrenaline rush from suddenly being on camera, and the weight lifted off of her shoulders with Lila being exposed all combined until Marinette was laughing so hard she was crying. Adrien was laughing along with her, although he also seemed a little concerned about the strength of her emotions.

“How are we only halfway though this week?” she asked. “I just want to go home and sleep for 24 hours.”

“Only if I can come with you,” he said. There was a pause as they both thought about what he said before he turned bright red and started stuttering. “I mean- I just- I want a nap!” he shouted.

This was all Marinette could take. If she thought she was laughing before, she was positively bursting now. She laughed so hard she fell out of her seat and landed with a thump, at which point Alya turned and noticed her friend’s distress.

“What just happened?” Alya asked loudly. 

Marinette was gasping for air and couldn’t answer. Adrien was busy looking like a tomato.

Ms Bustier chose that moment to walk back into the room. “All right, class, let’s pull ourselves together and continue with our lesson for the morning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My new job is great but I am also constantly exhausted so I apologize for the delay in updates!
> 
> Remember that Jagged Stone plot at the beginning? Only took me forever to wrap that up XD
> 
> Also there were several places in this chapter I wanted to use swear words and then didn't. Fill them in as you see fit lol


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